


The Dragon's Daughter

by iceman27



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Actually none of them are really good people, Boatbaby (Game of Thrones), But Jon and Rhaella are not great, Daenerys isn't a great person, F/M, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon and Rhaella don't hate the Starks... yet, Jon is the favorite parent for a hot minute, Jon-centric, Not entirely anti-Daenerys but Rhaella treats her like shit for a long time, Resurrection, Rhaella and the Starks hate Daenerys, Slow-Burn Jonerys, Targaryen Restoration (Kind of), They all kind of struggle with good communication skills, They all need to reconcile, They will become better people, This is a Jonerys story but it takes a HOT minute, This is a continuation of season 8 so the characters are in character for that, Well Aemon's kind of a sweetheart, game of thrones season 9
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:53:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 65,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23502661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceman27/pseuds/iceman27
Summary: Daenerys is resurrected, and gives birth to twins. A year after their birth, her daughter goes missing. She never stops searching, and years later she brings fire and blood back to Westeros when she receives word that the Princess of Dragonstone is a girl with silver hair.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Comments: 696
Kudos: 293





	1. The Heir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya Stark makes a discovery and Jon gains a family member.

Arya Stark stumbled upon them by accident. There was a terrible storm raging, and they had docked in the nearest port they could find. She had never been to Pentos before, but quickly put two and two together. The inns were nearly full, so she had seen that her crew had rooms to sleep, deciding that she would use her skills to find a bed.

She decided to try the servant’s quarters at a large manse she had seen from the water. Arya had snuck into servant’s quarters before, and knew not to expect much, but that she could likely slip in unnoticed. 

She entered through the back entrance, already having changed into simple linen clothes and having put on a face for good measure. It took her a moment to find where she was headed, and she accidently found herself in the main quarters. She heard the sound of a baby crying and started to retreat, but then heard a similar voice.

The tongue was Valyrian, but that only made Arya’s memory sharper. The last time she had heard that voice, in that tongue, was King’s Landing, the day the city burned. She cursed herself for not bringing Needle with her, but assured herself that she could find a suitable replacement for the time being. 

Then she heard the babe cry again and it hit her. What if the baby was Jon’s? She waited until the room was quiet again, then slipped in silently. 

Daenerys Targaryen was sleeping peacefully, and two cribs were sitting on both sides of her bed. Twins?

Arya peeked into the crib and saw a pair of grey eyes staring back at her. Jon’s eyes. The baby’s hair was short and silver, but it also had Jon’s curls. Arya tried not to gasp, and immediately made a decision. 

Her brother had been miserable the past year and a half. She had only visited him once, having been spending most of her time traveling, but clearly he had no reason to live and was impatiently waiting for his death. He deserved some happiness. The happiness his child could provide. 

Arya quietly picked up the babe, careful not to wake Daenerys. She would come back for the second once the first was secure on her ship. However, after turning the corner the second baby started to cry. 

She could hear Daenerys comforting the child, but then heard her voice fill with panic. “Rhaella?” 

Arya held her breath as servants rushed past her. She pressed herself a little deeper into the wall. “RHAELLA?” 

Daenerys was screaming, pain lacing her voice. The other child started wailing as well. Worrying the baby in her arms would wake, Arya rushed from the manse, making it back to her ship undetected. 

“Rhaella, hmm?” The babe was sleeping peacefully in an old crate Arya had lined with blankets to make a makeshift crib. “I never was too good with babies. But we’ll get you to your Papa in no time. He was always great when me and your Uncle Bran and Uncle Rickon were little.”

She bent down to smooth back the baby’s hair. “He’s going to love you so much, Rhaella. I know I already do.”

* * *

“Rhaella?” Jon’s stern voice rang out through the hall. “Rhaella, hurry up or we’re going to be late!”

“Coming, Papa!” Her clear voice came from the chamber at the end of the hall and Jon moved towards it. When he got into her room he found her frantically trying to pull back her hair and he let out a small chuckle. 

“Do you want some help?” She nodded vigorously, happily handing over the brush. He quietly got to work, smiling as he combed out the unruly curls that mirrored his own, only in silver. “How do you want me to do it?”

“Can you just pull back the sides and leave the back down? I like having it long.” She smiled, relieved to not have to try to do it herself. 

“Of course, sweetheart. Are you sure you don’t want me to braid it? It used to look so pretty when you’d let me braid it.”

She immediately shook her head, almost yanking her hair out of his hands. “No. I don’t want to look like her. Especially not while we’re in the capital.”

Jon sighed and nodded, seeing the sense in what she was saying. Rhaella was being announced as Bran’s heir for her ninth name day in a week, and neither wanted to give off the impression of being too Targaryen. Jon was insisting that he be addressed by Jaehaerys and his daughter by Rhaella, both of House Targaryen, but that was far enough.

Both were wearing grey, their clothes emblazoned with direwolves wherever possible. When they stayed on Dragonstone they both wore plenty of red and black, Jon favoring black and his daughter favoring red. Jon consistently wore black in any kingdom, but Rhaella liked to wear blue and grey when in the King’s Landing or the North. 

Ever since she had learned about the King’s Landing Massacre, she hadn’t wanted to be a Targaryen anymore, though her father pressed her to be proud of their house. He reminded her of all the good their family had done and made sure their maester paid special attention to Targaryen history in her lessons. 

Just as Jon was finishing tying the cord in Rhaella’s hair to keep it back, there was a knock at the door and both turned. 

“Aunt Arya!” Rhaella shouted, rushing to give Arya a huge hug. 

“I thought I’d come see what’s taking so long. I dropped anchor an hour ago, yet you have yet to board!” She smiled and gave Jon a knowing tilt of her head. Rhaella wasn’t known for her punctuality. 

“I’m sorry, Aunt Arya. I’m ready now. Are you going with us?”

Jon answered, gesturing for Arya to come help him lift Rhaella’s trunk. “Aye, we’re going to travel to King’s Landing on her ship.”

“Really? Will I get to help steer it?” 

Jon responded. “I don’t know that I trust you to man a ship just yet. But maybe we can do some fishing.”

Rhaella looked a little disappointed, but as soon as Jon’s back was turned Arya nodded, indicating that Rhaella would indeed be steering the ship at some point in the near future.

“I saw that.” Jon called back. 

“Saw what?” Rhaella asked innocently. 

“Arya, if you let her steer and we end up shipwrecked I’m going to make Bran throw you in the cells.”

Arya laughed. “Like a cell could ever hold me.”

The three kept smiling and joking as they made their way down to her ship.

* * *

The voyage was pleasant. The weather was good, and they reached King’s Landing in only a few short days. Rhaella did indeed get to sail the ship, with her aunt watching her closely. She and her father tried to fish, without much success. Her favorite part of the voyage was when her aunt agreed to spar with her for a bit.

Arya had put a sword in Rhaella’s hand when she was five, much to Jon’s dismay. He left the two alone for two weeks to visit a vassal lord and when he returned his daughter was in love with swordplay and he couldn’t deter her from continuing to practice. 

Now that she was nearing nine she was much more proficient than her father or aunt had been at that age, in both Westerosi and Braavosi styles. She especially liked Braavosi style, mostly because it still tripped Jon up sometimes. Whenever she trained with Arya that meant learning new moves and fighting styles, seeing as Arya was travelling all over the world and learning as much about fighting as she could. 

Once they reached King’s Landing she was sad to leave the ship, but was thrilled when she discovered that her aunt would be staying to attend her coronation. She hoped that meant she would get to practice every day, although she also understood that she was going to have to attend an uncomfortable number of small council meetings. 

Most of the small council had been aware of her existence for the duration of her time in Westeros, although the Lords and Ladies she would be crowned in front of were oblivious. 

Shortly before Arya brought Rhaella to Westeros it was discovered that Grey Worm and the Unsullied had perished, so there wasn’t much preventing Bran from pardoning Jon. It was decided that Jon would rule Dragonstone until Rhaella was old enough to take over, and that Rhaella would be Bran’s heir and carry on the royal line. 

When Jon heard the offer he asserted that he didn’t want it, but Bran had insisted that Rhaella would be his heir, and Jon would only be allowed to raise her if he raised her on Dragonstone, serving as it’s Lord. Jon had begrudgingly accepted, and found that he didn’t mind ruling, especially because it offered him an opportunity to teach his daughter how to do so. Additionally, he and Rhaella were free to leave Dragonstone for a few months each year to visit the North and the capitol. 

They spent most of their time in the North with Tormund, though Sansa often insisted on hosting them for a few weeks. When they stayed in King’s Landing they spent a majority of their time in Flea Bottom. 

Jon wanted his daughter to understand and care for the small folk, and to never repeat the mistake her mother made. Every year he would dye her hair to avoid recognition and the two would spend a month in Flea Bottom, helping to rebuild the city and getting to know the small folk. 

He made sure Rhaella understood no one in Flea Bottom could know their true identities, but at first he didn’t tell her why, although she figured out pretty quickly that Targaryens were evil in King’s Landing. 

Jon had grown up not knowing anything about his mother, and made sure that his daughter wouldn’t be able to say the same. He told her that Daenerys had died in childbirth, because that was what Arya told him. Whenever Rhaella would ask about her he would tell her about how they met, or how brave she was in the battles they fought, or how her smile could light up a room. 

One day Rhaella came back to the inn they were staying at in Flea Bottom and asked if they were Targaryens like Daenerys Targaryen, or if they were different Targaryens. Jon had sat down with her and asked what she knew about Daenerys Targaryen. 

“She was evil and mean and she took a big dragon and burned down King’s Landing and killed everyone. She was the worst person to ever live and a hero named Jon Snow killed her and then Uncle Bran became King. Right?”

Jon started crying and knew he had failed their family. He hadn’t known how to tell Rhaella about King’s Landing, or how her mother had died the first time, but he knew that she had found out in the wrong way. 

“Rhaella, I want you to listen very carefully, okay?” She nodded as he pulled her up onto his lap.

“Daenerys Targaryen was not evil.”

“But she killed everyone!”

“She only did that because some very bad people hurt her. She didn’t want to hurt anyone but bad people. Before she burned down the city there was a very evil queen, and Daenerys came to save the city from her.”

“Was the other queen more evil than Daenerys?”

“Yes. Daenerys came to save everyone from her, but because the bad people hurt her she burned down the city.”

“So she was bad?”

“No. What she did was bad, but Daenerys Targaryen was the best person I have ever known, besides you.”

“You knew her?”

“Aye, I did. Before I became your Papa, my name wasn’t Jaehaerys Targaryen. My name was Jon Snow.”

“Wait, you killed Daenerys?”

“Yes, I did. And I regret it every day.”

“But Papa, it’s good that you killed her. She did a bad thing. She killed everyone.”

“She also saved everyone. It wasn’t her fault that the bad people hurt her.”

“I don’t understand.” 

Jon took a deep breath and held his daughter closer. “Rhaella, Daenerys Targaryen was your mother.”

“What?” She sat there, unmoving, in shock. Slowly tears began to fall down her face. “No.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I should have told you long ago, but I didn’t know how. Daenerys was your mother, and she did a bad thing but that didn’t make her a bad person.”

Rhaella shook her head, sobbing. Jon held her to his chest and she hugged him back. After she had calmed down she looked up at him with the saddest expression he had ever seen. “Papa, it’s good that you killed her.”

“No, it’s not. It wasn’t her fault. She was misled, I know she never wanted to hurt anyone.”

Rhaella shook her head. “I love you, Papa. I’m glad you’re my Papa and I’m glad she isn’t my Mama.”

“Rhaella-” He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want Rhaella to hate her mother. She had always loved the stories he would tell of how brave she had been during the Long Night. “I love you too, sweetheart. And I know your mother loved you very much.”

* * *

Rhaella was slightly disappointed that she had to spend all of her time in the Red Keep during this visit, but she was glad she didn’t have to dye her hair. She hated it, but she knew it kept her safe because otherwise someone might know she was the daughter of the Mad Queen. They were about to throw all caution to the wind though. 

“May I introduce Rhaella, of House Targaryen, daughter of Daenerys and Jaehaerys Targaryen, Princess of Dragonstone, and heir to the throne.” 

A hush fell over the throne room as Rhaella stepped forward, next to Bran. Her father and Arya stood behind them on either side, ready to come to their defense. 

Robin Arryn stepped forward first. “Forgive me, your Grace, but what is the meaning of this?”

Bran remained completely calm and emotionless. “I’m naming Rhaella Targaryen as my heir.”

Robin furrowed his brow even further. “Yes, but why?”

“Because she’ll be a good queen.”

“Yes, but, after what her family has done, after what her mother did- How did she even come to be born? Jon Snow killed Daenerys, and she never had a child. And who is Jaehaerys? And what is Jon Snow doing here, I thought he was exiled-”

Bran raised his hand to cut him off. “Daenerys Targaryen was resurrected by a Red Priestess after her death, then died in childbirth. Her daughter was fathered by Jaehaerys Targaryen, the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, formerly known as Jon Snow. His parents were married before he was born, just as Rhaella’s were.” 

The room fell silent again, everyone’s expressions one of shock. Jon hated to lie about being married to Daenerys but he also refused to allow Rhaella to be branded a bastard. 

This time it was Edmure Tully that stepped forward. “That doesn’t change what her mother did- what her family is-” 

This time it was Rhaella that cut him off. “ I know what a monster Daenerys Targaryen was.” 

Jon flexed his jaw at hearing his daughter say it. Every time she did, it hurt. He hated to hear the conviction in her voice when she said it. 

“Daenerys was my mother, and I can do nothing to help that. I carry the weight of her crimes with me every day, and until my last day I will do everything I can to make amends for them. I am not the Mad Queen, and until my dying breath I will oppose everything she did and the tyranny her rule would have brought.”

There were hushed murmurs among the Lords and Ladies, but no one else came forward. 

“With that out of the way then,” Bran announced, “I think it’s time to crown her.”

The High Septon stepped forwards and performed the ceremony. The new sept still hadn’t been built, and in order to keep Rhaella’s existence a secret for a little bit longer it was decided a private coronation in the throne room would suffice. 

After the lengthy ceremony Rhaella stood, with a new circlet on her head. All those gathered clapped, though many with hesitancy. When Rhaella took her leave she saw many Lords approaching her Uncle and his Hand, many with distraught expressions. She hadn’t expected to be popular right away, but she had still hoped for acceptance. Would her mother’s crimes haunt her her entire life?

* * *

That night Jon had entrusted Rhaella to Arya while he spent some time with Bran and Ser Davos. Tyrion was decidedly not invited, as Jon despised him after what he convinced Jon to do that day. The two were civil toward one another but Jon had no desire to see Tyrion for longer than absolutely necessary.

After an afternoon of sparring and a hearty meal Arya was tucking Rhaella into bed. She didn’t have many maternal instincts, but she tried to follow Jon’s lead and she was willing to do almost anything for her niece. Just as she was about to take her leave Rhaella spoke. 

“Aunt Arya, why did she burn down the city?”

Arya sat down next to her, smoothing her hair back from her face. “Because she was mad.”

“But why didn’t anyone stop her?”

Arya sighed. “We thought Cersei was a bigger threat than she was. We never realized how dangerous Daenerys was until it was too late.”

Rhaella bit her lip. “But didn’t she fight alongside you in the Long Night?”

Arya nodded. “Everyone but the Lannisters did. It was the most important war this world has ever seen. She devoted her resources to us, but anyone with half a mind would have.”

Rhaella nodded. “I wish someone could have stopped her before King’s Landing.”

Arya gave her a sad smile. “Your papa did stop her, sweetheart. He saved us all from her.”

“Just like you saved us from the Night King.”

Arya nodded. “Yes. You come from a long line of heros, Rhaella. I have no doubt you’ll make us proud.”

Rhaella turned even more serious. “What if I’m not a good queen?”

Arya brought a hand to her face to guide Rhaella’s eyes to her own. “Why do you want to be queen?”

Rhaella thought for a moment. “Well, because everyone wants me to be queen.”

Arya raised her eyebrows. “But do you want to be queen? You don’t have to be.”

Rhaella sighed. “Yes, I do. I have to make amends for what Daenerys did. I have to protect the smallfolk like Papa taught me. I want to make sure no one can ever hurt them again. Everyone deserves to be safe and be at peace.”

Arya smiled. “That’s how I know you’re going to be a good queen. You’re not becoming queen for yourself, you’re becoming queen for everyone else. You’re becoming queen so you can serve the smallfolk and make the realm a better place.”

Rhaella smiled and nodded. Arya continued. “You’re nothing like her, Rhaella. I know that you worry you are, but you’re not. You’re strong but you care about using that strength to help everyone else. You’re a good person, sweetheart. I’m so proud to be your aunt.”

“I love you, Aunt Arya.”

“I love you too, Rhaella.” She bent down to kiss her goodnight, pausing at the door before she left. Sometimes Rhaella was the spitting image of her mother. Arya just hoped that her actions wouldn’t lead her down the same path Daenerys followed.


	2. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys returns to "rescue" her daughter.

Across the Narrow Sea, two other Targaryens were leading quite different lives. After Rhaella’s kidnapping, Daenerys had never let her son out of her sight for long. She liked to keep moving, always paranoid that the assassins that had come for her and her brother as children would return to come after her son.

They were staying in Lys. She still had friends in the Dothraki, the Ironborn, and a few allies still alive in Meereen. It broke her heart to know that Meereen had fallen back into slavery, but she was unable to defy the masters without exposing herself and Aemon.

Aemon. Everything she did, she did for him. She had lost everyone. Her friends, her advisors. The first children she had had. The family she had built. She had lost the man she loved above all else and she had lost her daughter. She swore that she would never lose Aemon.

Sometimes she feared she was too protective of him, but she had spent her own childhood running from assassins and knew that their survival depended on the precautions she would take. He had just celebrated his tenth nameday and she knew the next time they visited the remaining Dothraki that she would have to allow him to begin training, but she was incredibly fearful that something would go wrong and he would be hurt.

The Dothraki no longer followed her, though she had no doubts that they would come to her aid if called to fight for her. She had no desire to put them in danger again. She already had the lives of all those that had fallen defending her on her shoulders, she didn’t wish to lead more to their death. As much as she wanted to fly across the Narrow Sea and burn King’s Landing to the ground again she knew that she would rather have a life with her son where they would both be safe. 

They were staying with one of her supporters in Lys. The house was small but Aemon and Daenerys were given a room to themselves. Lys was safer for them because many people shared their features, meaning Daenerys didn’t worry about her or Aemon becoming targets because of their silver hair. 

Unfortunately that meant Aemon blended in with his surroundings a little too well sometimes. She had allowed him to talk her into going to the market. Normally she didn’t allow him to leave the courtyard of their house and asked her friends to go to market for them. However that day had been an exception and a dangerous one at that. 

One second Aemon was standing next to her and the next he wasn’t. Panic seized her and she was instantly sent back to the day she lost her daughter. 

“Aemon?” she cried, trying not to alert too many passersby of his Targaryen name.

“Aemon?” She didn’t see him. There were some boys playing across the street. She had instructed him never to talk with strangers without her permission, but perhaps he had gone over to them. She prayed he hadn’t been taken.

“Aemon?” There was no response. She came closer to the boys, almost running into them. “AEMON?” 

Finally, finally, she heard his voice a few feet away. “Muña?”

She pulled him in for an embrace and clutched him tightly. After a moment she gripped his hand. “We need to leave.”

“But Muña, they were going to let me play with-”

She gave him a harsh look. “We have to leave. What if someone heard me call your name? We have to disappear before they can figure out who we are. You never should have gone over to those boys without asking me.”

Aemon hung his head and followed along after her and she practically ran from the market, holding his hand with an unyielding grip. “I’m sorry, Muña. I just wanted to be normal, I just wanted-”

“I know, sweetling. I know. But we can’t be normal. It’s not safe. I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive, Aemon. No harm will come to you while I’m here, I swear it.”

They reached the house and she began quickly packing their few belongings. 

“Muña, where will we go?”

She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. Back to Pentos, perhaps?”

“We could go to Volantis and see Kinvara.” Aemon suggested. He liked Volantis. Daenerys had gone to stay there for several years after Rhaella was taken. She trusted the red priestess that had brought her and her children back to life. She nodded and soon they were on a boat to Volantis.

* * *

Once they had arrived in Volantis, one of the ship captains Daenerys trusted had found her and passed along a message from Yara that they needed to meet. Daenerys’ manse in Pentos was chosen as the location. She and Aemon left at once, finding Yara already waiting at the manse for them. 

“Your Grace!” Yara greeted Daenerys with a hug. “Just Daenerys is fine, Yara.”

“And Aemon! You’re getting so big!” Aemon also came forward to give Yara a hug. Daenerys didn’t trust many people with her son, but Yara had always been loyal. She was one of her first supporters to seek her out after the rumors of her resurrection, and her only source of information from Westeros, not that she was very interested in Westeros. 

“What news?” Daenerys asked, a little nervous. She had asked Yara to keep a stern eye on Bran and to let her know immediately if anyone in power learned of her or her son’s existence. 

“I’ve just come from a meeting Brandon Stark called in King’s Landing. He’s named his heir.” Daenerys scoffed and turned to a window looking out on the sea. “What of it?”

“Well, it would seem that he has named Jon Snow’s daughter.” Daenerys spun back around. 

“He released him from the Night’s Watch?” Yara nodded and Daenerys continued. “And Jon had a daughter? With whom?”

Yara cleared her throat and looked around nervously for a moment, not knowing how Daenerys would take the news. “Well, uh, it would appear, if what they’re saying is correct, and I think it is, after all she doesn’t have his hair-”

“Oh, spit it out.” Daenerys was growing impatient and irritated. 

Yara took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. “They’re claiming that she’s your daughter. Her name is Rhaella. She has silver hair and she does look quite a bit like- Daenerys, are you okay?”

Daenerys fell to the floor from shock. Aemon and Yara rushed to her side. It took her a moment to recover. 

Her daughter was alive. She was alive, and she was being held captive by those Westerosi monsters. Her mind was being poisoned by the Starks. They had taken her daughter from her and they were going to pay with fire and blood.

When Daenerys finally stood up again, she had made up her mind. She turned to Yara, pure anger feuling her now. “Can I count on your allegiance?”

“Yes, your Grace, of course. What is it you would ask of me?”

“Ready your ships. A small number of Dothraki warriors will need to come with us. We’re going to get Drogon, and then we’re going to get my daughter back.”

* * *

“But Papa-”

“No, Rhaella. And that’s my final answer.” 

Rhaella desperately wanted to leave early for their trip North, but Jon was insisting they stay until the next moon. 

“Papa, Maester Owyn’s held court plenty of times, and a few weeks more really won’t be the end of the world-” Jon gave her a stern look and she fell silent and averted her gaze. 

“Now, what did you learn in your lessons today?” The two were having dinner alone in Jon’s solar. They often joined the servants in the kitchen for supper when they weren’t hosting other Lords, but Jon had had a mountain of work, so Rhaella asked the servants to help carry dinner up to him, a welcome respite for her father. 

“We talked about how to manage food stores. It was very boring.”

Jon chuckled. “That is very boring. But it’s very important. Last winter everyone in the North would have starved if your Aunt Sansa hadn’t thought ahead and rationed their stores correctly.”

“But Papa, Uncle Tormund and the Free Folk never worry about food stores.”

“Yes, but the Free Folk spend most of their time hunting and gathering roots. Do you remember that big snow storm a few years ago? We almost ran out of food because there wasn’t anything to hunt.”

Rhaella thought for a moment. “Maybe we should teach Uncle Tormund about food stores.”

Jon laughed and Rhaella joined in. “I don’t think your Uncle Tormund would be much interested in managing food stores, sweetheart. But I’m glad that he’s taught you how to find food when you don’t have much saved up.”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. 

“Yes?” Jon called and a servant entered. 

“Sorry to disturb you, your Grace. There have been several ships spotted on the horizon. They bear the Greyjoy sigil.”

Rhaella exchanged a puzzled look with her father. “We weren’t expecting anyone from the Iron Islands, were we?” 

Jon and the servant shook their heads and Jon spoke. “Yara was at your coronation and she didn’t say anything then. I wonder why she’s here. I’ll go see that an envoy is sent to greet them and find out what they want. She could just be looking to trade or something.”

He moved to follow the servant out of the room, pausing to squeeze Rhaella’s shoulder and give her a smile. She returned it and went back to her dinner. Moments later she fell to the floor when she heard a monstrous roar that seemed to shake the entire castle.

* * *

“Aemon, you’re going to be okay.” Daenerys reassured him again.

“But Muña, you said that we always need to be together. Otherwise I won’t be safe.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. “You’re going to be with Yara’s men. I trust them to keep you safe. They’re going to protect you for me until I can be with you again.”

“But Muña-”

“I have to go and get your sister, Aemon. Rhaella needs me to protect her, too.”

“Can’t I come?”

She shook her head. “Yara’s men will be able to keep you safer than I will. I’ll only be gone a little while, okay?”

He nodded, trying to hold back tears. He pulled her in for a tight hug. “Please be safe, Muña. Please don’t get hurt.”

She kissed the top of his head. “It’s going to be alright, sweetling. I’ll always keep you safe. I’ll always come back to you. It’s going to be fine, you’ll see. And we’re going to get your sister back.”

Aemon nodded and held her for a moment longer before she finally pulled back to don some chainmail and mount Drogon. She nodded at Yara’s men, needing to be certain that Aemon would be safe.

* * *

Her father ran back into the room, eyes wide, searching for his daughter. He found her hiding under his desk and ran to her side and lifted her into his arms before running from the room.

Rhaella wanted to protest that she was far too old to be carried, but instead held her papa close and tried not to cry out in fear when she heard a second roar. 

The throne room was the best protected, so Jon took his daughter there at once. Their entire guard was gathered there, ready to defend them to their last. Jon had requested Longclaw be brought to him, and Rhaella was also given a sword, with instructions not to attack, but to defend. 

They all stood in the throne room in silence, except for the roars that could occasionally be heard overhead. Jon crouched down to his daughter, who was trying to be brave and fight back her tears.

“It’s going to be okay, Rhaella. We’re not going to let anything happen to you, alright?”

There was shouting heard down the hall, then some screams. Far away an explosion was heard, along with another great roar. Rhaella let a few tears fall and Jon embraced her for a moment. 

“You are strong and you are brave. You are the blood of the dragon and you will be okay. No matter what, remember that I love you.” The barred doors started rattling, and someone called for a battering ram on the other side. Jon stood and drew his sword as some of the men moved forward to brace the door against the impending attack.

The doors came down in a few minutes. Rhaella drew her sword as well and Jon stepped in front of her protectively. Their men threw themselves at the incoming attackers, but they were outnumbered. Just as Jon was about to jump into the fray, Yara’s voice rang out. “She doesn’t want you to die yet, Jon Snow.”

Rhaella had never seen her father look at someone else with so much hatred. “Who? Why the hell are you attacking our home? Who sent you?”

His sword was still drawn, and his grip tightened as he questioned Yara, but suddenly he dropped his sword at hearing a second voice. 

“I suggest you surrender. I won’t grant you a second chance.”

Jon fell to his knees and tears came to his eyes. “Dany?”

“Dany?” Rhaella whispered, putting two and two together. Suddenly a silver-haired woman came into view. Rhaella recognized herself in her, and knew what she must do. 

Raising her sword she charged at her mother, ready to kill her. Jon saw her moving and jumped in front of her, nearly bearing the brunt of her attack. She pulled back just as her blade was about to hit Jon’s face. He wrenched the sword from her grasp and held her so she couldn’t try to attack Daenerys again.

“Papa, no! Let me kill her! She should be dead!” Daenerys was taken aback, fear creeping into her face. Daenerys set her eyes back on Jon and her gaze hardened again. “Take him.”

The Ironborn soldiers surrounded Jon again, moving in to pull him away from Rhaella. She dove for her sword again, but one of the soldiers caught her. She wailed and struggled to get away from him.

“Don’t hurt her!” Daenerys’ voice was filled with fear as she briefly broke her composure. The soldier nodded at once, but Rhaella still fought against him. A second moved to help hold her back. 

“PAPA!” Rhaella screamed, trying to get back to her father. Jon wasn’t trying to fight his captors, but was clearly distraught at seeing his daughter struggle. 

“Rhaella, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay. I promise. Calm down, sweetheart.”

Daenerys’ heart hardened again at hearing Jon speak to her daughter. “Put him in the dungeons.”

“PAPA, NO!” Rhaella screamed at the top of her lungs when Jon was dragged away from her. “Please, Dany, please don’t take her from me. Please.”

She turned to sneer at him. “Get him out of my sight.”

Yara left with Jon to oversee his capture, while Daenerys softened and advanced on Rhaella. “Rhaella?”

Her daughter's sobs at losing Jon changed to snarls at seeing Daenerys. Daenerys flinched at the first few curses Rhaella directed her way, as it had been a few years since she was called “foreign whore” and the like, and especially not by her daughter. After a moment she steeled herself again and turned to one of Yara’s men. “Please go fetch the Maester. When you’re certain that the castle is secured, bring Aemon to me.”

She took a deep breath and turned to Rhaella, softening and trying not to let her screaming get to her. “Sweetling, where are your chambers?”

Rhaella’s response was to spit in Daenerys’ face. Tears were streaming down her face and she was beginning to lose her resolve but she was refusing to give up on getting back to her father. 

“We’ll go to my old chambers then.” She led the men restraining Rhaella through Dragonstone’s passages until they reached them. Daenerys’ old room turned out to be Rhaella’s current room. Rhaella wondered if her father had done that on purpose. Unfortunately her sword had been resting at the foot of her bed and the guards had noticed and had searched the room, removing all of her weapons. 

Her door was left ajar and one of the guards was watching her every move. She was tempted to try to attack them again, even though she knew it was probably pointless. Rhaella had calmed down, remembering that her father had told her to be brave. She took a few deep breaths when her mother entered her room to try and approach her again, then launched herself at the woman, quickly wrapping her hands around her throat and applying as much pressure as she could. 

One of the guards quickly pulled Rhaella off of her mother. There were some voices down the hall and Rhaella prepared to pounce again, but suddenly Maester Owyn came into view. 

“Maester Owyn!” She ran to hug him, but stopped dead in her tracks at seeing Daenerys behind him. Rhaella shook her head and inched back into her room. Maester Owyn turned toward Daenerys. “Your Grace, it might be best if I speak to her alone.”

Daenerys sighed and nodded, still rubbing her aching throat. She eyed Rhaella apprehensively, but with a certain sadness in her eyes as she left. After a few moments Rhaella rushed to embrace Maester Owyn as her tears started to fall. “She took Papa! Maester Owyn, she took him!”

He held her close, knowing that the guards were listening in. “I know, sweet child. But it will all be alright now that your mother is here.”

Rhaella took a step back, horrified. “She’s a monster. We have to stop her. Please, please, we have to stop her. She’s going to hurt Papa.”

The Maester bent down and put his hand on her shoulder. “She is not a monster, she’s your mother. When you were very young your father took you away from her, and that was wrong. He has to be punished for his crimes.”

Rhaella brushed off his hand, furious. “His crimes? What about her crimes? She burned down King’s Landing! She should be dead! My papa saved me! He saved everyone when he killed her!”

Daenerys muffled a cry from where she was listening just outside the door, and her sadness quickly turned to anger as she realized what Jon must have taught her. 

“No, Rhaella, it was wrong of him to kill her. Your mother is a wonderful woman and you’re very lucky that she’s back in your life now.”

“No! I don’t want her back in my life, I want her dead! I want Papa!”

Maester Owyn lowered his voice. “Rhaella, I need you to be strong, okay? I need you to be strong for your papa. If you ask her to, your mother might spare his life, alright? But you can’t try to kill her again, okay? Not if you want to see your papa again.”

Rhaella started crying but nodded. 

“Would you like to apologize to your mother?” Maester Owyn asked in a louder voice. 

“Okay.” Rhaella said, very quietly. Daenerys wiped her eyes before putting on a pleasant expression and returning to the room.

When Rhaella saw her she took a few steps back, clearly angry and afraid. There was a tense moment before Rhaella looked at the ground and spoke, very quietly again.

“I’m sorry I tried to kill you. Please don’t hurt my Papa. Please.”

Daenerys took a few steps forward to try and comfort Rhaella, but she moved away, terrified. “It’s alright, Rhaella. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Please don’t hurt my Papa. Please. Please.” 

Daenerys sighed and straightened back up. “I won’t Rhaella. But only if you’re a good girl, okay?”

Rhaella nodded, still refusing to make eye contact. “Look at me, Rhaella.”

She slowly raised her head and looked Daenerys in the eye. “It’s going to be okay, sweetling. I’m never going to hurt you.”

Rhaella tried to wipe away her tears before they could fall. “Then why did you take my Papa?”

Daenerys gave her a frustrated smile, trying not to show how upset she was. “He has done some very bad things, and he’s not safe for you to be around anymore.”

“Liar! My papa would never do anything bad! He would never hurt me!”

“Rhaella, calm down.” She took a step towards her again, and Rhaella ran to Maester Owyn to hug him again. “Please, Maester Owyn. Please save my Papa.”

Daenerys clenched her hands together and tried to remain calm. “Rhaella, I’m not going to hurt him.”

The Maester held her and gave Daenerys an apologetic look. “It’s going to be okay, Rhaella. Your Papa is going to be okay.”

Rhaella shook her head and held Maester Owyn tighter. Daenerys was about to try again but a guard alerted her that Aemon was in the hall. Daenerys decided it would be best to wait to reunite her children when Rhaella was calmer. 

Daenerys left and eventually Maester Owyn left too, after reassuring Rhaella several times that Daenerys was not going to feed Jon to her dragon or any of the other terrible possibilities she was imagining. Rhaella had a hard time getting to sleep that night.

* * *

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She and Aemon were unpacking their belongings in the unused room nearest Rhaella’s. 

“I guess not. It was scary, though. I don’t want you to have to fight anyone again.”

Daenerys gave him a sad smile and nodded. “Me either, sweet boy. But I’ll only ever fight anyone when I have to because you and your sister need protecting.”

“Where is she? Did you find her?”

Daenerys pressed her lips together. “Rhaella is here. She’s safe. Her father-”

“Jon Snow?”

Daenerys nodded and Aemon cut her off again. “Is he here?”

She bit the inside of her cheek. “He’s in the dungeons.”

Fear flooded Aemon’s face. “We need to kill him, Muña! We need to get away from him! What if he-”

She crossed the room and embraced him, trying to ease his fears. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. We’re safe. You’re safe. Yara’s men are going to keep us safe. He’s locked up; he can’t hurt us ever again.”

Aemon shook his head. “Muña-”

“Aemon, you need to trust me. I promise he will never hurt you or me ever again.”

He furrowed his brow and pulled back. “Why didn’t you kill him?”

She searched for an answer. She had every right to. Finally she spoke. “He has raised your sister for the last eight years. I need to know what he has done to her. Jon Snow will answer for his crimes but I can’t kill him yet, okay?”

Aemon thought for a moment before nodding. “Is that why Rhaella isn’t here? Because Jon Snow did bad things to her?”

Daenerys nodded sadly. “It’s going to be very hard, Aemon. Your sister doesn’t know either of us. It’s going to take her a while to understand that Jon Snow is an evil man.”

Aemon nodded and hugged Daenerys again. “I’m sorry he took her away, Muña.”

“Shh, it’s okay, sweetling. It’s not your fault.”

* * *

Usually Rhaella was a pretty restless sleeper, and frequently had nightmares of the King’s Landing Massacre. Ever since she was little and had learned about the attack from her friends, the idea of it had haunted her. Every night Jon would try to tell her a funny or happy story to try and calm her down before bed, and he was always there to comfort her when her nightmares woke her up. It wasn’t unusual for her to end up in his bed after waking up screaming. 

Unfortunately that night her dreams were even worse than usual. It could have been that Jon wasn’t there to tuck her in that night, or maybe it was hearing a dragon’s roar for real, but her dreams were the worst they had ever been. She woke up sobbing and screaming, paralyzed with fear. 

Suddenly someone was hugging her and she embraced them fiercely, thinking that it must be Jon. After a few moments she realized it wasn’t, and screamed even louder, pushing them away and panicking. When she looked up and saw Daenerys Targaryen, she started hyperventilating. 

As she blacked out she saw Daenerys holding her, calling for a Maester. She hoped when she woke up it all would have been one long bad dream. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know it sucks Rhaella doesn’t like Daenerys. But she’s grown up listening to all of these people talk about the King’s Landing Massacre, and even though Jon has always told her that Daenerys is good, when your mother murders a whole city that tends not to go over well. So Jon has not been telling her anything bad about Daenerys, but spending time in Flea Bottom, seeing the damage, and hearing horror stories of lost family members has made her hate and fear her mother, although Jon has always tried to defend her.


	3. Remorse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaella begins her new life with her mother. Rhaella goes hungry and Daenerys confronts Jon.

When Rhaella woke up at first she thought it all had simply been a dream. The light was streaming in through her window like it did every morning, her favorite stuffed wolf was nestled next to her, and she thought she heard the clinking of the Maester’s chain, probably coming to scold her for almost sleeping through breakfast again.

Usually Jon woke her up, but lately he had been busy in the mornings, so she figured she would see him at breakfast. Except when she got out of bed and turned to the door, she saw a guard with a kraken on his armor. 

She almost started sobbing. It hadn’t been a dream. She walked over to her window to see if the ships were still there. Some of them were leaving, but a few remained. 

There was a knock at her door. She backed into the corner of the room when she saw it was Daenerys Targaryen. 

Her mother was wearing a welcoming and optimistic expression. “Good morning, sweetling.”

Rhaella didn’t respond, not quite knowing if she wanted to scream at her or cry or attack her again. 

“Do you want some breakfast, Rhaella?” Daenerys asked, moving a little closer.

She shook her head and tried to back away further.

“Well, how about you get dressed and go see what the cook made for us today anyhow? It might be something you like.”

Hesitantly Rhaella agreed, but she did it on the condition the guard wouldn’t look while she was getting dressed and that Daenerys go wait in the hall. She would have preferred a grey or blue dress to avoid looking like a Targaryen, but they had recently returned from King’s Landing so her red and black dresses were all that weren’t packed away or being cleaned. 

She decided on a black dress with a small Targaryen sigil on it. Black was the color of mourning, and she was definitely mourning the loss of her father, even if he wasn’t dead. That she knew of. 

* * *

As soon as they stepped into the dining hall she wanted to turn around and go back to her room. Maester Owyn was seated at the table and next to him sat a small boy about Rhaella’s age. He turned very shy at seeing her, getting up to stand behind Daenerys. 

She gently grabbed Aemon’s hand to bring him over to meet his sister. Rhaella looked at the boy with confusion and slight annoyance. She decidedly didn’t like or trust anyone that liked Daenerys. 

“Aemon, this is your sister, Rhaella. Rhaella, this is your brother, Aemon.” The boy peeked out and then hid behind his mother again before she grabbed hold of his shoulders and pushed him towards Rhaella. “Go on, say hello.”

“Hello.” Aemon said very quietly, not knowing how Rhaella would react. She had been raised by his mother’s murderer, after all. 

Rhaella sized her brother up. He wasn’t scrawny, clearly well-fed, but not fat, though not in shape either. After she determined that she could easily beat him up, she dismissed him. 

“Rhaella, aren’t you going to say hello to your brother?” Maester Owyn asked. Rhaella rolled her eyes but tried to do as she was asked. “I had a Great-Great-Great Uncle Aemon. My papa used to live with him at Castle Black.”

“What’s Castle Black?” Aemon asked nervously, desperately wanting to go and hide behind his mother again. Rhaella looked at Maester Owyn, wondering if Aemon was serious before she answered him. “You don’t know what Castle Black is?”

“Rhaella, your brother isn’t from Westeros. He doesn’t know much about anything here.”

She shrugged and looked at the floor. Daenerys gestured for them to go back to the table. “Come on, let’s have breakfast!”

Rhaella didn’t understand where her cheerful tone had come from, but she was determined to ruin her mother’s seemingly good mood. “We have eggs, and fresh bread, and a bunch of different fruits, and I can ask them to bring up something else if you’d prefer. What would you like, sweetling?”

It took Rhaella a moment to realize that her mother was speaking to her. “I want my papa back.”

She would have sworn she saw Daenerys wince a little bit before straightening in her seat. “What do you want to eat, Rhaella?”

“I’m not hungry.” Rhaella took a seat at the table but firmly crossed her arms, then looked at the edge of the table, hoping the infernal meal would be over soon. 

“Come on, sweetling. I know you must be hungry.” Rhaella shook her head and kept her eyes downcast. Meanwhile Aemon ate everything that was put in front of him. Rhaella was surprised he wasn’t fat at the rate he was eating. Aemon and Daenerys were both used to being constantly on the run and had never been able to take food for granted, though Daenerys made certain her son never went hungry.

Eventually Daenerys gave up trying to get her daughter to eat, and Rhaella let her mind wander. She was trying to figure out how to escape with her father. Unfortunately it didn’t appear that she was simply having a nightmare.

“Rhaella?” Maester Owyn broke her out of her trance. “Why don’t you show your mother how good your High Valyrian is?” 

He asked her in High Valyrian, a language he had been teaching her and Jon since she had first come to Dragonstone. He was assigned to them because Jon had demanded a Maester that could teach them the Targaryen mother tongue. Jon attended Valyrian lessons with Rhaella when he could, although he had a very bad accent and often failed to correctly conjugate verbs. 

“I can speak High Valyrian.” Rhaella responded, slipping out of the Common Tongue with ease. Daenerys gave her a broad smile that Rhaella responded to with a death glare. 

Her mother pressed her lips together and turned her attention back to her plate, while still speaking with the Maester in High Valyrian. “You know, I wouldn’t think Jon would want her to learn it, especially because no one speaks it here.”

“Papa’s name is Jaehaerys. And he speaks Valyrian, too.”

Daenerys stared at her in shock for a moment before turning to the Maester. “He does?”

Maester Owyn nodded and gave Rhaella a knowing smile. “He does, but with a very thick accent and the other day he referred to your daughter as a radish instead of a young woman.” 

Rhaella laughed at the memory. “It’s not Papa’s fault! His accent is funny in the Common Tongue, too.” 

Maester Owyn chuckled with her, then turned his gaze back to Daenerys and both fell silent. Daenerys tried to force a smile, but just came off looking highly irritated, which she was. 

“Muña, when can we go home?” Aemon asked, quietly. 

“Yeah, why don’t you go home and leave Papa and I alone?” asked Rhaella, hoping Daenerys would tell her she was leaving soon.

Daenerys sighed, trying to maintain her composure. “I don’t know yet, sweetlings. There are bad men that want to hurt us and I need to be sure they aren’t going to come after us when we leave.”

Rhaella furrowed her brow for a moment. “I’m sure if you leave now Papa and I can convince Uncle Bran to protect you. He’s very powerful and I know if we ask him nicely he’ll help you. But only if you leave now and explain that this was all a big misunderstanding.”

Daenerys closed her eyes and took a deep breath before responding. “Rhaella, Brandon Stark wants to kill us.”

“No he doesn’t. He just named me his heir.”

Aemon piped up. “No, he’s a bad man. He wants to kill Muña and me.”

“Probably because you’ve just captured my papa and me! Or because she killed everyone in King’s Landing!”

“What?” Aemon asked, confused. Panic came to Daenerys’ eyes and she forced one more smile and turned to Maester Owyn. “I have to go attend to some things. I trust you can handle Aemon and Rhaella?”

“Of course, your Grace.” Daenerys got up to leave, and Aemon moved to follow her.

“No, Aemon. Today you’re going to go with your sister and Maester Owyn.”

“But can’t you stay with us?” Daenerys gave him a sad smile. 

“You’re going to be fine, sweetling. Remember last night when you stayed on the ship? That was okay, right?”

Aemon shook his head. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. Jon had raised her to be highly independent, whereas Aemon clearly never left his mother’s side. 

Daenerys continued to comfort Aemon, but when she did eventually leave he started crying. 

“Seven hells.” Rhaella muttered as the maester moved to comfort him. Her father had been locked up and she wasn’t even crying as hard as Aemon was. His mother was just stepping away for a few hours. 

* * *

Daenerys was less than thrilled to be back in Dragonstone. The last time she had been there she had executed Varys and been rejected by Jon. She had sent Yara to head negotiations with Brandon Stark. She was hoping that she could use Jon as a hostage to ensure her and her children’s safety. 

The fact that Brandon had named Rhaella his heir confused her, but she knew without a doubt he would see her and Aemon as threats that needed to be taken care of. 

She spent most of the day speaking with servants to get up to speed on the affairs of Dragonstone. The night before she had questioned the maester extensively on how Jon had been running things, as well as how he had been raising Rhaella.

To her dismay he reported that the two loved each other very much and that Jon was a wonderful father. She could see from how Rhaella missed him that he was her world, and she despised him even more for that. 

After getting caught up on most of the castle affairs she went in search of her children. She quickly found Aemon with Maester Owyn, but not Rhaella. Aemon immediately ran to her to hug her.

“Where is she?” There was a hint of worry in her voice. 

“She’s out training. She goes every day, I thought you wouldn’t mind, your Grace. Aemon said he’d prefer to stay with me.”

“I do mind, actually. You should be clearing everything she does with me. I don’t want her anywhere near a sword.”

She marched to the yard, ready to reprimand the master of arms for letting Rhaella train without her permission. She found her daughter sparring roughly with him, grunting from the effort. 

Daenerys recognized her style as Braavosi, no doubt she learned from Arya Stark. The master of arms was using Westerosi style. She was impressed with the first few moments of the duel that she watched, but when he landed a sharp blow to Rhaella’s arm and she cried out before readjusting her grip and swinging at him hard, Daenerys decided to step in.

“Ser Conor! I did not give you permission to hit my daughter.” 

He immediately stepped back, giving Rhaella a wide berth and bowing his head. “My apologies, your Grace. Lord Targaryen always lets her-”

“Jon Snow is no longer in charge.”

Rhaella faced her with an expression of disgust. “His name is Jaehaerys Targaryen and he’s training me to become as good a swordsman as he is.”

“Not anymore he isn't. You aren’t to touch a sword again without my permission. Am I understood?”

Rhaella didn’t move, just stared down her mother, no doubt contemplating hitting her. “Rhaella? Am I understood?”

Finally she nodded, handing over her sword to Ser Conor and storming back into the castle. Daenerys followed her, perturbed. “Just where do you think you’re going?”

Rhaella didn’t stop, shouting her reply over her shoulder. “I’m going back to my chambers.”

Daenerys let her go with a sigh. She turned to Aemon. “You don’t hate me, do you?”

“Of course not, Muña!” She smiled down at him and tousled his hair. “Do you want to go inside and play?” 

He nodded vigorously and she laughed as the two walked back inside.

* * *

“Rhaella, it’s time for supper.” Daenerys had sent Maester Owyn to fetch her, hoping a familiar face would help. 

“I’m not hungry.” She had spent the past few hours reading a storybook her father had gotten her about Azor Ahai. 

“Well, you still have to come down for supper.” Rhaella begrudgingly followed after him. Daenerys tried to engage her in conversation, but she mostly gave one word answers, and refused to eat anything again. She asked to be excused early, claiming she was tired.

When she returned to her chamber she lay awake for a few hours, pretending to be asleep when Daenerys came to check on her. 

“I love you, Rhaella.” Her mother whispered before she left. Rhaella sincerely doubted that sentiment. 

That night her night terrors returned, worse than ever. Daenerys came to her again, but this time Maester Owyn was ready and offered her a draught to help calm her down.

Daenerys offered to stay with her, but she assured her that she was fine, and asked her to please leave her in peace. Her mother eventually went back to her room, shedding a few tears at the thought that her daughter was having nightmares because of her actions all those years ago.

* * *

Rhaella had spent the last few days absolutely miserable. She hardly left her room, and appeared to have gone on a hunger strike. Maester Owyn and her mother pleaded with her to eat something, but she insisted she wasn’t hungry.

She stopped caring about her lessons, and gave one word answers to every question she was asked. After the third day she stopped asking to see Jon, seeing it was getting her nowhere and only frustrating Daenerys.

Finally Daenerys, desperate, went to Jon. He was being kept in the darkest, dampest cell Dragonstone had to offer, and was only being given bread and water. He had been clean-shaven and well put together when Daenerys had captured him, and she was pleased to see her murderer now looked a mess.

“Jon Snow.”

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they did he saw Daenerys staring down at him.

He immediately got to his feet, his eyes never leaving her. She was looking at him with an expression of pure hatred. 

“Dany-”

“Never call me that.”

“Yet you still call me by my bastard name.”

“Yes, because that’s what you chose, didn’t you? You chose Jon Snow, you chose the Starks, you chose them over me.”

“I chose Westeros over you! You burned an entire city!” A guard came into the cell at hearing his shouting, ready to interfere. Jon took a deep breath and stepped back from her. Daenerys nodded to the guard that she was alright and he stepped back outside. 

“You betrayed me.”

“And that excuses it, does it? There was a chance you could have lost the throne to me so you slaughtered millions?”

“I have been betrayed again and again, Jon. I promise you, the same will never be said of Rhaella. What I did that day wasn’t simply an act of anger at the people who have betrayed our house, it was a message to all those in the future that will try to again. Fire and blood, Jon. How else do you think our house has survived all these years?”

Jon scoffed. “What you did that day was ensure our house would die. I never cared about power, I never wanted it. But you did, and I thought you wanted it so you could protect the people. That’s why I followed you, why I fell in love with you. You were good. 

Everything you did across the Narrow Sea was in service of the people, in service of those that you had no reason to care about. When you came North it was because you wanted to protect the realm. When you burned King’s Landing it was only in service of yourself. You became every other shit ruler that Westeros has ever seen and you secured that you had to be executed like all the others.”

“Westeros killed all of those other leaders because of the wheel. We were supposed to break the wheel. For the common people, for our children. Burning King’s Landing, burning the Red Keep, burning the people that had stood under the wheel and supported it for so long was necessary in breaking that wheel.”

Jon shook his head, hatred in his eyes. “There were better ways, Dany. You didn’t have to slaughter millions of people. The people you had just fought the Night King to save! I don’t understand. I’ll never understand. I lost the woman I loved that day, and not because I put a dagger in your heart.”

Her jaw tightened at hearing him mention it so casually. “Do you have no regret for killing me?”

“Daenerys, I have more regret than you will ever understand. But not for killing you. You could not have been allowed to continue. I could not watch you burn an entire continent. No one could. Don’t you realize that now you’re here someone else is going to come for you?”

She shook her head. “They know now that they can’t provoke me, Jon. They know what House Targaryen is capable of. I have returned, and now they have to do everything they can to be sure I never have a reason to strike them down again, because I can and I will. Rhaella will never have to fear-”

He took a step forward, growling out his response. “Rhaella is terrified! Every single night since she learned what happened in King’s Landing she has had nightmares! You don’t know what it’s like, Dany. To have to promise her that the dragon isn’t coming to burn her. To have to promise her that her mother won’t come to kill her.”

“And whose fault is it that she believes I would?”

“Yours.”

She took a step back, her nostrils flaring. “Mine? You’re the one that has always told her-”

“I’ve always told her that you were a good person. The best ruler I’ve ever known, until that day. I’ve always told her how you came to save the North, how you freed the slaves and rescued the common people from those that would harm them. I’ve tried to tell her about the woman I fell in love with.

Every year I take her to King’s Landing. I want her to understand the people she’s to rule so that someday she won’t make the mistake you made. I want her to be the kind of ruler I thought you were, the kind of ruler that serves the people and wants what’s best for them. One day she came home and asked if we were like you, Daenerys. Asked if we were bad Targaryens. It was on that day that I told her your name, told her what you’d done. 

She doesn’t hate you or fear you because I’ve told her you were an evil person, she fears you because she’s seen what you’ve done. Ever since she could ask about you I’ve tried to tell her all the good you’ve done, but after what you did to King’s Landing I feel like I’m the only one that can remember the good anymore.” 

He was crying and Daenerys softened, for a moment. “Jon-”

“My name is Jaehaerys.”

She shook her head and furrowed her brow. “Why?”

“For Rhaella.”

She scoffed. “Really? I would have thought you’d lie to her and raise her a Stark.”

He shook his head. “Do you know why I turned you away?”

Now it was her turn to shake her head, hesitant to hear his response.

“Dany, you always grew up knowing exactly who you were. Where you came from, what your family meant. Who your parents were and what they stood for. You grew up with a family you could believe in and be proud of. 

I grew up a bastard. I was ashamed of my birth from the second I knew what it meant. I was a stain on my family’s honor and my mother was something to be ashamed of, someone my father wanted to hide away. I did not have a house to call my own. And then Bran told me and I did.

I was raised to believe Targaryens were evil and shameful. Even worse than bastards. I was raised to believe it was wrong for a nephew to lie with his aunt. I was raised to hate myself and hate our house. When I turned away from you it was because I believed that I could only become a stain on your honor, that I could only hurt you.”

“I never cared about that. I told you on the boat, I didn’t care what you had to offer me. I didn’t care if you were a stain on my honor, I only cared about you. I only wanted you.”

He shook his head. “You wanted to hide me away like Eddard Stark did. My claim threatened yours, even though I told you I never would have accepted the throne. I thought I could never be as good a ruler as you had been, I could never protect the people as you had. I believed you were what was best for the realm and the last thing you needed was someone to undermine your claim or force you to commit incest.”

“We could have worked through that. Together. I never rejected you, Jon. I never wanted you gone. I wanted to be with you. And yet you rejected me. You rejected our house.”

He nodded, hanging his head. “That’s what I regret, Dany. Not killing you for the crime you committed. Abandoning you down that path. If I could go back and tell you how I really felt, if I could go back and become Jaehaerys for you- I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“Yet you can’t. So why do it for Rhaella?”

“I grew up ashamed of my house, ashamed of my mother. I didn’t want the same for her. I was told House Targaryen was evil but she was not. I’ve told her about all the great things our family has done, about you and Aemon Targaryen. I’ve also taught her about our family’s mistakes. She is a Targaryen, Daenerys, and I never wanted her to have to wonder what that meant. I wanted her to be proud of it.”

“It doesn’t seem like she is.”

“You made sure of that.”

She shook her head, scoffing as he continued. “Daenerys, you wanted to send a message when you burned King’s Landing. The message that you sent was that Targaryens are evil and wrong; that we must be feared and destroyed.”

“And you sent a message when you killed me. You told them all that our house was weak, vulnerable, that we turn on our own!”

“No matter how many times I tell Rhaella that it was wrong to murder you, she always tells me that you needed to die for what you did. The realm would have been united on that. If I hadn’t killed you someone else would have. You don’t know how many nights I’ve sat up wondering if Rhaella will be killed because she’s your daughter.”

“That will never happen.”

He nodded, firmly. “She’s going to be a good queen, Dany. I think she’s going to be what I thought you were. That’s what I hope.”

Suddenly she turned to leave, realizing that she no longer wanted to hear him repeat his anger at her for King’s Landing one more time. 

“Will I ever get to see her again?”

She paused. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Please.”

She turned back to him, malice in her face. “Why, so you can turn her against me even more? So you can steal her away from me again?”

His eyes widened in disbelief and he shook his head. “Daenerys, if I had known you were alive-”

“Spare me your apologies.” She shook her head, suddenly remembering why she came in the first place. “Rhaella refuses to eat.”

“What?” He straightened at the mention of his daughter, worry clouding his face instead of regret. “Is she okay?”

“She hasn’t eaten since I came here, and she hardly leaves her chambers. I’ve tried begging her, Maester Owyn has examined her and can’t make her eat either. I don’t know what to do.”

“You could let me talk to her. Maybe I could-”

“No. You are never going to see her again. The only reason you are alive is because Brandon Stark may want to bargain for your life.”

Jon looked to the floor, thinking for a moment. She grew impatient and turned to leave. “Have you tried offering her kidney pie? Or lemon cakes? Those are her favorite. And she would always cheer up when we would go out riding. She loves her horse more than anything in the world.”

She turned to leave but he continued, trying to explain himself before she left.

“All I ever wanted was for her to have a mother. You don’t know how many times I’ve cried thinking that she was condemned to the same fate I was.”

“Yet you claim you don’t regret killing me.”

He shook his head. “You were going to die for burning King’s Landing. You had to. But if I had known you had lived, if I had known Rhaella had a chance at having a mother-”

“Well, she does. Despite your ripping her away from me, I’m here now.”

She started to leave but he called out after her. 

“Yet you would rip her away from her father?”

She paused for a moment, but then left. 

* * *

Rhaella didn’t want to get up. She didn’t really have the energy to. But she knew she was going to be forced to go to dinner, although she wasn’t really hungry. She didn’t remember the last time she ate. Food just didn’t seem appealing anymore. 

She heard footsteps in the hall. Probably Maester Owyn coming to tell her it was time for dinner. She moved to get up, but froze when she saw it was Daenerys in her doorway. She moved to the far corner of the bed, curling into a ball. Her mother moved to sit on the edge of the bed opposite her.

Daenerys didn’t face her daughter, but started speaking softly. “I’ve just been to visit Jon Snow.”

Rhaella sat up straight at hearing that, her eyes widening. “Can I go visit Papa?”

“No.” Daenerys was quick to reply and firm in her answer. Rhaella wanted to cry, but didn’t want to give Daenerys the satisfaction.

“I told him that you won’t eat, and that you don’t want to leave your chamber. He’s very concerned, as am I.”

Rhaella slumped down again. “I’m not hungry.”

Daenerys pressed her lips together and wrung her hands. “I know, sweetling. But can you please try and eat something? For Jon? I know he wants you to stay healthy.”

Rhaella didn’t respond. Daenerys looked to her, her face fraught with worry. “Please Rhaella.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Daenerys placed a hand on the mattress, turning towards her. Rhaella drew herself back even further. “Well, Jon told me you might like some kidney pie and lemon cakes. I had the cook make it special for you. I’m even going to allow you to eat in here, alright?”

Rhaella still didn’t respond. 

“Please, Rhaella. Please just eat a little bit. For Jon, okay?” With that she left. After she left Rhaella muttered under her breath, “His name is Jaehaerys.” 

In a little while a servant brought in her supper and set it on her vanity. Rhaella considered it. It smelled good, and it was her favorite. And her father had said he wanted her to eat it, if her mother’s word was to be trusted. 

She forced down some of the kidney pie. It tasted good, and she remembered when she ate so much that she almost threw up the last time they visited Winterfell. She had said she wouldn’t eat any more kidney pie for a month, but had some more a few days later. Aunt Sansa had teased her relentlessly over it.

Rhaella smiled at the memory, then started to cry at the thought she may never get to go back to Winterfell again. Eventually she had finished half of the pie, but was too full to eat the lemon cakes. 

After eating she returned to her bed, wondering what had happened when Daenerys had visited her father and how he was. She hoped he was being taken care of. She knew even the memory of Daenerys could hurt him sometimes. 

She had never seen him as upset as when he saw her mother in the throne room a few days ago. When she was younger he used to wake up screaming pretty frequently. Sometimes he dreamed of the mutiny, but other times he dreamed about King’s Landing and killing Daenerys. 

He always told Rhaella it was bad that he killed her, but she always tried to explain to him that it was good and that he saved Westeros. She worried about her papa, alone in the cells without her to comfort him. He was probably having worse nightmares, just like her. At the thought of her father suffering she started crying and didn't stop until she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to figure out how to handle the eventual Daenerys/Jon conflict and I was planning on pushing it a few more chapters, but I think having them start communicating earlier will probably speed up their eventual reunion and that is my goal. Don't worry, at this point they have not made up at all, but I feel some progress has been made. How did I do trying to explain the King's Landing Massacre? I don't know that there is any logical explanation out there, but I tried. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all of your comments, especially the critical ones. I’m glad everyone feels so passionately about all of this, and believe it or not, a lot of them are making me go back and revise things. Unfortunately that and the fact my spring break is over might mean updating less frequently, but it also means my writing is hopefully better.


	4. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys discusses terms.

Daenerys let out a massive sigh of relief when she saw that her daughter had eaten. She was very worried at the state of her health and knew this was a step in the right direction. The next morning she got Rhaella to have some fruit at breakfast and she tried not to smile at seeing her eat it, instead trying to focus her attention on Aemon. 

Halfway through breakfast they were interrupted by Yara’s return. Daenerys left her children in the care of the maester, rushing to hear what her ally had to say.

“Brandon Stark has sent Ser Davos Seaworth to speak on behalf of the crown.” Daenerys almost smiled at hearing his name. She had always liked Ser Davos, even if he had been Jon’s advisor. 

She received him in the throne room, just as she had all those years ago. After her titles were recited by one of the Ironborn soldiers Davos spoke.

“Who would have thought that we’d be back in this same room, introducin ourselves again?” He gave her an awkward but warm smile that Daenerys didn’t return.

“What are his conditions, Ser Davos?”

“Well, uh, his Grace doesn’t want a war.”

“Neither do I. Will he leave me and my children in peace for Jon Snow’s life? We will sail across the Narrow Sea and you will never have to hear from us again.”

Ser Davos looked at his feet, wrung his hands, and nervously chewed on his lip before responding. “His Grace doesn’t want Princess Rhaella to leave Dragonstone.”

Daenerys raised her eyebrows and Davos continued. “You see, uh, his Grace has named her his heir, so she needs to stay at Dragonstone, as Princess, until she inherits the throne.”

“And what is to happen to my son and I? I will not leave her.”

“You may stay here, or return across the Narrow Sea, so long as you don’t attack Westeros again. His Grace doesn’t care about your whereabouts so long as Rhaella is kept here.”

Daenerys considered for a moment. “And if I refuse and take Rhaella back across the sea with me?”

“Then his Grace will have to bring his heir back to Westeros.”

“He’ll start a war if I leave?”

“He wants to avoid bloodshed.” There was a moment of silence. “But yes, he will do whatever it takes to ensure the princess stays on Dragonstone.”

“And he’s willing to go to war over the fate of my child?”

Ser Davos nodded. “She means a great deal to us. We will do whatever it takes, but like I said, his Grace doesn’t want a war. We all know what happened the last time you came to the capital.”

A flash of anger crossed her face and Davos realized it might not have been wise to bring that up. He tried to reason with her a little more. “We only want to keep her safe. You don’t have the men for a war, and we don’t want to take on your last dragon. Please, keep her on Dragonstone. His Grace doesn’t want to start a war but he will do whatever it takes to keep the princess safe.”

“Safe? I’m her mother, she’s going to be safe with me.”

“Yes, I wouldn’t expect her not to be, your Grace. However, his Grace feels that it would be best if Princess Rhaella remained in the country she’s to rule someday.”

Daenerys flexed her jaw, perturbed. “How do I know you won’t attack us anyways? What’s to stop you from bringing an army to Dragonstone?”

Ser Davos furrowed his brow. “If we do raise an army, why does it matter where you are? What’s to stop us from following you across the Narrow Sea?”

“There will be considerable distance between us. You may not be able to find us.”

Ser Davos raised his eyebrows. “You’d be surprised at what his Grace can see, your Grace.”

He waited a moment before continuing, realizing the threat hadn’t fazed her. “What’s to stop you from burning down King’s Landing again?”

“I haven’t chosen to do so yet. Don’t provoke me.” Her words cut him to the bone. He almost flinched before standing his ground.

“Well we haven’t chosen to bring an army against you. I think we can both agree it’s best to avoid a war. I won’t lie to you, over half of the small council has a mind to come here and kill every Targaryen they can find. We knew you wouldn’t attack us when we had Rhaella, but now-”

“You’re not inspiring much confidence, Ser Davos.”

He chewed on his lip a moment before continuing. “Now we won’t attack you for the same reason you wouldn’t have attacked us. Rhaella. We don’t want any harm to come to her, or her father. We’re willing to agree to peace if you’ll spare their lives.” 

She waited a moment before continuing. “And what of Jon Snow?”

“His Grace is more concerned about the princess than he is Jaehaerys, but he would prefer you don’t harm him. He wants him to stay on Dragonstone as well. You can consider him a hostage if you like, though I hope you’re treatin him right.”

“You mean he doesn’t want his brother back?”

“It’s my understandin that he wants Jaehaerys to stay with his daughter.”

“He’s never going to see his daughter again.”

“Oh.” Davos furrowed his brow in concern. “Well I know his Grace wouldn’t want him harmed, but I don’t think he much cares if you keep him or release him, so long as he’s alright. We didn’t discuss Jaehaerys very much; his Grace is most concerned about the princess.”

Daenerys stood. “I’ll think over your terms, Ser Davos. We can prepare a room for you.”

She turned to leave, but Ser Davos called out after her. “Can I see her? The princess?”

Daenerys paused. “I’ll consider it.”

With that she turned to leave, returning to the dining hall just as the children were preparing to leave for their lessons. 

“Where did you go?” Aemon asked, running to hug her.

“I just had to talk to someone.”

“Who?” Rhaella asked, surprising Daenerys by initiating conversation.

“An envoy from Brandon Stark.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “I know that, I saw the ship arrive this morning. Who did he send?”

Daenerys cleared her throat. “Ser Davos Seaworth.”

Rhaella’s face lit up. “Ser Davos? Can I see him?”

Daenerys didn’t respond right away, causing Rhaella’s expression to turn to one of disappointment. She didn’t want to see her sad, so she decided to give her some hope. “I’ll think about it. If you eat all of your lunch maybe he can join us for dinner tonight.”

“Okay!” Rhaella sounded cheerful for a moment, then remembered that she didn’t like Daenerys and left for her lessons with Maester Owyn and Aemon. 

* * *

She tried hard in her lessons for the first time in weeks, and she did her best to eat all of her lunch, though she still didn’t want to engage Daenerys in conversation. At the end of the meal she asked about Ser Davos again, and Daenerys announced that he would indeed be joining them for dinner. 

It was the most talkative Daenerys had ever seen Rhaella. She was trying to ignore her and Aemon, although Daenerys tried to insert herself into the conversation now and then. 

“How’s Uncle Bran?”

“He’s alright, though he has been mighty worried about you. Though he knows you’re a fighter, like your papa. You’ve been taking care of yourself, right?”

Daenerys took the opportunity to encourage Rhaella to eat more. “She hasn’t been eating lately.”

Rhaella hung her head, ashamed as Ser Davos admonished her. “Princess, it’s important that you stay healthy! How else are you goin to get strong enough to beat your Aunt Arya next time she comes to visit? I remember when you last visited King’s Landing you almost tripped her up.”

“Daenerys won’t let me train anymore.”

Davos got red in the face and tried to save himself from Daenerys’ death stare. “Well, sometimes it’s best to take a break. Focus on your studies. I know I wish I had studied more when I was your age. Did you know I didn’t learn how to read until I was your papa’s age?”

“Really?” Rhaella was surprised to hear it. “But how did you become Master of Ships if you couldn’t read?”

“Well I knew how to read by the time your Uncle Bran appointed me, but I didn’t learn until the War of the Five Kings.”

“When you were Papa’s Hand?”

He shook his head and gave her a sad smile. “No, when I was Hand to Stannis. The Princess Shireen taught me.”

Rhaella got quiet. “I’m sorry, Ser Davos.”

He gave her another sad smile. “It’s alright, Princess. At least now I’ve got you and your papa and uncle to serve.”

Daenerys cleared her throat and he swallowed nervously. “And I’m also more than happy to serve your mama, if she needs any advisin.”

“Can you advise her to let Papa go?”

Ser Davos turned red in the face again. “I think that’s between your mama and papa, Princess.”

Rhaella sighed. The room fell silent until Davos broke the silence. “Oh, I almost forgot! I brought you and your brother some gifts!”

“You did?” Rhaella asked, excited. 

Daenerys cleared her throat again, upset Davos hadn’t cleared them with her. Davos reached into his cloak and pulled out two carved soldiers, presenting one to each child. “I thought you might like some more for your army.”

“Thank you, Ser Davos! I love him.” Rhaella stood to give him a hug. 

Daenerys raised her eyebrows at Aemon and he muttered a quiet thank you as well. “I hope you like him. Maybe you and your sister can play war later. Though I’d look out if I were you, she has a very sharp military mind.”

He gave Rhaella a wink and she beamed at him, admiring her new soldier. The rest of the dinner went smoothly, although Rhaella and Davos did most of the talking. When they were finished Rhaella begged her mother to let Ser Davos tell her a bedtime story, and she gave in. 

“Aemon, you can come listen too.” Ser Davos offered, but Aemon shook his head and hid behind his mother. Daenerys heard laughter coming out of Rhaella’s room for the duration of the story. He was telling her about the time he got stuck on an island, claiming that to escape he had to talk to a magic goat that turned out to be a wizard.

Rhaella didn’t believe him, but thoroughly enjoyed the story anyhow. She was sad when it ended, but thanked Ser Davos for putting her to bed. Daenerys listened at the door after Aemon was tucked in. 

“Ser Davos, I miss Papa.”

“I know you do, Princess. He’s a good man, your papa. But your mama’s a good woman, too.”

“No she isn’t. She burned down King’s Landing. And now she’s holding Papa hostage.”

Davos sighed. “I know, Princess. Sometimes good people do bad things, but I know that doesn’t mean your mother doesn’t love you. Things are complicated between your mother and your papa. I promise it’ll all work out. I just want you to remember that both of your parents love you very much. So do I.”

“Ser Davos, you’re a smuggler, right?”

“I used to be, yes.”

“Can you smuggle Papa and I out of here?”

Daenerys was almost ready to interrupt when Ser Davos responded. “I know things are hard right now, but I promise they’ll get better. You just need to give your mama time and be patient, okay?”

Rhaella sighed. “Okay. But will you think about smuggling us out?”

Ser Davos laughed. “Okay, Princess. You get some sleep now, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, Ser Davos. Thank you for the story. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Princess. I love you.”

With that the old knight left, heading back to his chambers. Daenerys quietly considered everything he had said, hoping Rhaella would listen to him and realize how much her mother loved her. 

* * *

The next day Daenerys elected to skip breakfast. She didn’t exactly trust Ser Davos alone with her children, but Maester Owyn would be with them as well and she had to address Brandon Stark’s terms. Better sooner than later, as she didn’t want the Onion Knight to stay longer than necessary, although he didn’t seem to be trying to turn her daughter against her.

Instead of the main hall she and Yara had breakfast alone in her solar. Jon had claimed the solar traditionally reserved for the lord of the castle, and she hadn’t wanted to use it after him, so instead chose one overlooking the cliffs, so she could better keep an eye on Drogon. 

She had been visiting her eldest son as often as possible. When she had returned from the dead she had elected to leave him in Valyria to protect her and Aemon, and Drogon himself. She had missed him terribly and the annual visit she and Aemon made had never been enough. 

Yara had joined her for breakfast, as Daenerys had asked for her counsel. 

“I don’t trust him.” Daenerys was mostly referring to Brandon Stark, although she was equally opposed to all members of his small council, including Ser Davos.

“Neither do I.” Yara agreed. “But I don’t know how much choice you have.”

“Jon Snow doesn’t seem to be a very valuable hostage.”

Yara furrowed her brow and took a long drink of the ale she had had brought up from her ship. “They could be bluffing on that one. I wouldn’t kill him or release him. Gods know that his death wouldn’t go over well in the North especially. And I still think he’s good insurance.”

Daenerys took another bite of bread before turning her attention back to Rhaella. “They seem to be genuinely concerned about keeping Rhaella here. Why?”

“I didn’t know she was alive until a few moons ago at her coronation, but when I did see her she was always with the Starks, always seemingly happy. I believe they genuinely care for her.”

Daenerys scoffed. “No doubt they’re just trying to use her as a weapon against me. Perhaps they believe that if I do stay here she’ll betray me.”

Yara stood and walked over to the window to gaze out of it. “No offense, but I think she may do that regardless of if you take her back across the sea or stay here.”

“She is my daughter. She’s under Stark influence now, but if I were able to get her away-”

“Daenerys, she’s spent her whole life here. These people are all she knows. You’re Aemon’s whole world, and Jon was hers. You’ve just ripped that away from her.” She turned back around and found Daenerys giving her a death stare. “I mean no disrespect, your Grace, but she barely knows you. At least here she feels at home. If you rip her away from the only home she’s ever known she may resent you even more for it.”

Daenerys picked up her goblet, taking a long sip of wine and considering what Yara was saying. 

“Daenerys, aren’t you tired of running? I know it hasn’t been easy. Think of what Brandon Stark is offering you. A home for you and your family and a good future for your daughter.”

“Others may come for us. Sansa Stark is Queen in the North and has committed great treason against me.”

Yara sat back down and picked up an apple. “Well, I have no doubts that if Jon Snow isn’t a useful hostage when it comes to the southern King, he will be essential if the time comes to negotiate with that northern bitch.”

Just then there was a knock at the door and a nervous looking servant entered. 

“Yes?” Yara asked, slightly annoyed at being disrupted. 

“There’s been a raven from Winterfell, your Grace.” 

“Well, let’s see it.” Yara held out her hand impatiently and passed the scroll to Daenerys, who read it and scoffed, then dismissed the servant. 

As soon as the door was shut behind him Yara turned back to Daenerys. “What news?”

“It would appear that Jon Snow is indeed a valuable hostage when it comes to the North. Sansa Stark has threatened to declare war if he is killed, and is sending an envoy of her own. She said that Ser Podrick Payne will be arriving by ship within a fortnight to check that her brother and niece are being treated well.”

“Will you hand over Jon Snow to him?”

Daenerys considered for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I have no doubt that he would only go north and return with an army to take Rhaella back.”

“What if you were gone by then?”

Daenerys shook her head again. “No, I fear we must remain here. I have no choice but to take Brandon Stark at his word and trust he will not attack if we comply.”

Yara nodded. “I would like to point out that the walls of King’s Landing haven’t been rebuilt, and no new scorpions have been constructed, at least to my knowledge.”

Daenerys gave her a pained smile. “I think if I returned to King’s Landing with Drogon Rhaella would never cease her efforts to kill me. I don’t want to attack King’s Landing again. And even if your men are willing to fight for me, it will take more than the Ironborn and a dragon to defeat a Westerosi army. The Northern army alone may be too much.

Last time I came to Westeros I did so with two armies at my back, three Kingdoms behind me, and three dragons. I lost all of that, Yara. I can’t lose any more. I can’t lose Drogon. I can’t lose you. I can’t lose Aemon and Rhaella. It would appear that Brandon Stark and I both want to avoid war.”

“Of course, your Grace. What would you like me to do?”

Daenerys let out a deep breath. “I can’t ask you to stay much longer. If you could wait until after the northern envoy has left I would appreciate that, but by that time I will hopefully find some men that will be loyal to me. You can’t be expected to watch over me forever.”

Yara returned a sad smile. “I will always be here for you, Daenerys.”

Both women stood and clasped arms as the meeting came to an end. “Thank you, Yara.”

* * *

Rhaella had been sad to see Ser Davos leave, but was in better spirits after his visit. She was still doing her best to ignore Daenerys, but she was warming up to Aemon some, at least when they were alone in their lessons. Any time their mother was around she shut them both out.

When she woke one day to see a ship in the harbor bearing the sigil of House Stark, she practically screamed with joy. She tried to run down to the shore, but the Ironborn guards stopped her, despite her numerous and loud requests. 

When she realized she wouldn’t be able to greet them herself, she stormed to the dining hall, but was told that her mother wouldn’t be joining them, as she was receiving a guest.

“I know!” Rhaella whined. “I want to receive them, too!”

Maester Owyn tried to explain that her mother had to discuss important matters with them, but Rhaella persisted in her attempts to convince him to join her mother in the throne room. “Do you at least know who it is, Maester Owyn? Is it Aunt Sansa or Aunt Arya? Have they come to rescue me and Papa?”

“Rescue you from what?” Daenerys stepped into the room, trying to feign ignorance and give her daughter the benefit of the doubt. 

Rhaella glared at her mother. “Who’s here?”

Daenerys sighed and forced a smile. “No one. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Liar! I saw a Stark ship! Who’s here?”

Daenerys forced another smile. “I think it’s time for your lessons, Rhaella.”

“No! I want to see who’s here!”

“You can go to your lessons or you can be confined to your chambers. There is no one here that concerns you.” She was getting fed up with her daughter. The last thing that Rhaella needed was a reinforcement of her connection to the North. It would only further distance her from Daenerys.

Rhaella glared at her and stormed off, Maester Owyn and Aemon in tow. 

After she had left Daenerys let out a long sigh and sat down to finish what was left of breakfast. A short while later a servant came to notify her that Ser Podrick had settled in and was ready to tour the dungeons. Daenerys took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was to come. 

The dungeons were fairly empty; most of Jon’s men had declared their allegiance to her and Rhaella, so she had released them, though they were still under the careful eye of Yara and the Ironborn. 

She didn’t have much memory of Podrick, but knew that he had been squire to Brienne of Tarth and was loyal to the Starks. When he was announced she was shocked to hear that he was newly betrothed to Sansa Stark. Daenerys didn’t know what to make of the betrothal, or why Sansa would trust her enemy with her future husband. Perhaps it was all a ruse.

Podrick seemed incredibly awkward and nervous, but Daenerys paid him little attention. She was dreading seeing Jon again, even though she would be hanging back outside the cell door.

“Pod?” Jon’s voice was hoarse, hardly recognizable. 

“Jaehaerys? Are you alright?”

She heard the chains rustling as Jon stood. “Rhaella? Have you seen her? Is she okay?”

“No, Daenerys hasn’t permitted me to. Although your sister has insisted I do so before I leave.”

“Good. Please make sure she’s alright. Daenerys told me she wasn’t eating. Pod, if anything happens to her-”

“She’ll be alright, Jae. She’s a fighter.”

They stood in silence for a moment before Podrick continued. “Sansa sent me. Bran has declared Rhaella is to remain on Dragonstone, but Sansa wants the two of you to come back North. She’s ready to go to war over it.”

“No.” Jon’s answer was fast and firm. “Do not start a war over this.”

“Don’t you want Rhaella back?”

Jon paused before he responded. “I know her mother will protect her. I trust her.”

“Yes, but what about you? Sansa still wants you to come back to the North.”

Jon scoffed. “And do what, join the Night’s Watch again? If I’m not with Rhaella there’s no point to my being alive at all.”

“Jae, don’t say that! Your sister will not let you die.”

“If Daenerys kills me, don’t let Sansa go to war over it.”

“Jae-”

“I know she listens to you, Pod. Maybe I can even ask Daenerys to let me write her a letter. Please just make her understand that a war is the last thing I want for Rhaella. We’ve all seen war, I don’t want her to have to endure one as well. I know Sansa doesn’t always see sense, but please try to explain it to her. I know she trusts you.”

Pod paused, wondering if it would be appropriate to tell him. “She does trust me. In fact, she’s just asked me to marry her.”

Jon was shocked for a moment before he smiled for the first time in over a moon. “That’s wonderful news! She couldn’t have picked a better man.”

“We want to wait to have the wedding until you can give her away. And we want Rhaella there too, of course.”

The mood grew tense again before Jon tried to make a joke. “If Sansa is going to go to war just so I’ll attend her wedding, she really is quite the demanding bride.”

Both laughed for half a moment, quickly losing themselves to silence again. “Are you sure you’re alright, Jae?”

“I told you, I don’t matter. Rhaella is what’s important.”

“I don’t know if Daenerys will let me see her.”

Jon ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “Even if you can’t, please trust that Daenerys wouldn’t hurt her own daughter. Please Pod, don’t let Sansa do anything stupid. The last thing we need is a war. My life isn’t worth that.” 

“How do you know she’s safe with Daenerys? She slaughtered a city.”

Daenerys tensed, almost ready to have Podrick thrown in a cell for insinuating she would ever harm her daughter.

“She’s her mother. Ever since I first met her she’s wanted a child, and I stole that from her. If I had known she was alive… it’s not her fault that things have turned out this way. There is no excuse for King’s Landing, but that doesn’t mean her child should be taken away from her. There is nothing more painful. I don’t know how she is, or what she’s doing, but I at least know she’ll be safe with Daenerys. Don’t doubt that for a second.”

Podrick nodded and extended his hand to Jon. “Can I do anything else for you?”

“If you do see Rhaella, please tell her that I’m alright and I love her very much. Tell her that she needs to be brave and listen to her mother. Tell her I miss her and that we’ll see each other again soon.” 

Daenerys almost scoffed. Jon would never see their daughter again. Not while she was in charge. 

* * *

She did not let Podrick see her daughter, but she did allow Jon to write a letter to Sansa, which she made sure to read before giving it to Podrick. “Tell her that I have her brother and I have a dragon. She’d best not do anything foolish.”

Podrick had gulped and nodded, once again asking to see Rhaella. When he was refused yet again he finally decided he had best return to the North. 

Rhaella cried as she saw the Stark ship leaving the harbor. When she went to dinner that night she spent the duration of it staring daggers at her mother, and she once again refused to eat. She went to bed with tears on her face, and once again was woken up several times by her nightmares. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ser Davos is highly skilled at two things: smuggling onions and loving princesses and I fully support both.
> 
> I hope these negotiations were somewhat realistic, a lot of people have raised super valid concerns in the comments and I tried to address them here. As of right now we haven’t seen what’s really going on in King’s Landing, but Daenerys is being forced to take Ser Davos at his word. Do these negotiations make sense? It’s my thinking that both sides want Rhaella to be safe and also that both sides do not want another dragon attack. Thoughts?


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters come together and revelations are made.

The Ironborn had finally left, and Daenerys was beginning to trust Rhaella a bit more. She still refused to let her near a sword, but there were fewer guards outside her chambers and she had more freedom to roam the castle, though not the dungeons. 

However, Rhaella was a student of Arya Stark. She hadn’t exactly trained to become No One, but she did know a thing or two about moving undetected. 

A few weeks after Yara’s departure Rhaella decided to try her luck. She waited until a pitch-black night, slipping out of her room well past midnight. 

There was only one guard posted at the end of her hall, and another posted at the entrance to the dungeons. She ran into a few others on her way down, but was able to move by them unnoticed. 

When she got to her father’s cell she silently thanked her aunt Arya for teaching her how to pick locks. She had had the foresight to bring along a few strips of metal and within a few moments the door to Jon’s cell was opened. She entered as quietly as possible, shutting the door behind her and trying not to draw any attention to it. 

She barely recognized the man in front of her. He was sleeping with his back to the wall, in the driest part of the cell. He desperately needed a shave and he had lost a lot of weight. His eyes were sunken in and his skin pale. Rhaella almost cried at the sight of him. 

She cautiously approached him and shook his shoulder gently. “Papa?”

His eyes snapped open and his heart nearly stopped. He reached out to her, afraid to touch her because he feared she wouldn’t be real. “Rhaella?”

In a flash she had embraced him and both of them started silently crying happy tears. “Papa, I miss you so much.”

“Shh, I know sweetheart. I miss you too. I miss you every second of every day. I love you so much, Rhaella. I love you so much.”

She held him tighter. “I love you too, Papa.”

They held the embrace a little longer, then she slowly fell into his lap. He kept one arm around her, gently rubbing her back. 

“How did you get down here?”

“Aunt Arya taught me how to sneak past people.”

“Of course she did.” He laughed for a moment before getting a little more serious. “How’s your mother?”

Rhaella started quietly crying and Jon moved to comfort her. “Oh come on, she can’t be that bad. It’s going to be okay, sweetling. Take a few deep breaths, alright?”

Rhaella slowly breathed in and out, trying to calm down. “Papa, I hate her. She’s so horrible. She won’t let me train, and she wouldn’t let me see whoever came from the North, and she won’t let me see you. I can’t do anything anymore. All I do is sit and listen to her and Aemon talk about stupid kid stuff. And her dragon is here so I can’t even go outside.”

“Shh, slow down sweetheart. Who’s Aemon?”

“My brother.” Jon’s breath caught in his throat. 

“You- you- you have a brother?”

Rhaella nodded. “Yes, he’s my twin. But he’s not very much fun. He’s afraid of everything and wants to spend all of his time with Daenerys.”

Jon couldn’t breathe. He had a son. He had a son. How did he never know he had a son? His son had never had a father. He started to cry. 

“Papa, what’s wrong?”

Jon shook his head, trying to stop his tears. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I just wish we could all be a family. I wish I hadn’t hurt your mother all those years ago.”

“Papa, how many times do I have to tell you? It’s good that you killed her.”

“No. No it isn’t.”

“Papa, she killed everyone. And now she locked you up and she won’t let me see you and she doesn’t let me do anything fun anymore and I miss you. I miss you so much Papa. I wish everything could go back to how it was.”

She buried her head in his chest and he bent down to kiss the top of her head. “I know, sweetheart. But I want you to have a mother. I’m glad she’s here. I’m glad you can get to know her.”

Rhaella looked up at him with an expression of pure confusion. “But she’s evil, Papa!”

“No, she isn’t. I know you think she is because of what she did in King’s Landing, but she isn't. I promise.”

Rhaella shook her head and Jon nodded sternly. “Rhaella, you have to be a good girl for her, okay? You have to give her a chance.”

“But Papa-”

“Please, sweetheart?”

She thought for a few moments, her face fraught with worry. “But what about you?”

“I’m alright.”

“No you aren’t! You’re scrawny and you don’t sound good.”

Remembering what Daenerys had told him the last time they had spoken Jon turned to scold his daughter. “Rhaella, I heard you weren’t eating.”

“It’s okay Papa, I started eating again now.”

“Good. You need to stay healthy, okay?”

“Okay.” 

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, just holding each other. “Can you tell me a story, Papa?”

“Of course. But when I’m done you should leave before the guard notices you, okay?”

“Okay. I’m sneaky like Aunt Arya though.”

“I know, sweetheart. Now, what story would you like to hear tonight?”

“How about the time you climbed the Wall? I love that story.”

“Okay. Well, I had been captured by the Wildings-”

“And Uncle Tormund was there, right?”

Jon chuckled. “Yes. Now let me tell it, okay?”

Rhaella nodded and Jon continued. When he finished she was about ready to nod off, but he woke her up and told her she needed to go back to her chambers. She gave him one last hug and promised she’d be back the next night before she snuck back up to her chambers. 

* * *

She was exhausted the next day and slept through most of her lessons. When Daenerys questioned her about it she said she had been awake the night before because of her nightmares, so her mother didn’t press her. That night she returned to the dungeons.

“Papa?” 

Both of their faces lit up at seeing each other again and they embraced. Rhaella presented him with an apple she had snuck down for him. She didn’t like how much skinnier he looked.

“How was your day, sweetheart?”

“It was okay. Aemon and I learned about Robert’s Rebellion today. I already knew everything but Aemon hasn’t had a Westerosi teacher before so we have to go back and talk about it again for him.”

Jon nodded and took another bite of his apple before continuing. “He’s lucky he has a sister that can help teach him.”

“But Papa, it’s boring to have to hear everything again.”

Jon gave her a small smile. “It doesn’t hurt to review everything, Rhaella. When I was growing up I helped your aunts and uncles learn all of their lessons, even though I already knew them.”

Rhaella gave a frustrated sigh and nodded. “Aemon’s not that bad. He just doesn’t know anything. He doesn’t believe that Daenerys burned down King’s Landing. And he thinks you’re evil for killing her.”

Jon pursed his lips and thought for a few moments. “That’s something Daenerys is going to have to tell him about some day. I didn’t want to tell you either, sweetheart. I only did it because I had to. I never wanted you to hate your mother. Or fear her.”

Rhaella shook her head. “It’s not your fault, Papa.”

He shook his head in turn. “No, it is. I betrayed your mother. I wasn’t there for her when she needed me. If I had been she wouldn’t have burned King’s Landing.”

“Papa, that’s not your fault. You weren’t on the dragon with her. You couldn’t have stopped her.”

He shook his head again. “No, I could have. I could have told her I loved her. I could have been there for her when her friends and advisors were killed. Instead I abandoned her.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “I don’t think it’s your fault, and neither does anyone else.”

“No one else knew her, Rhaella. Your aunts and uncle never gave her a chance. They hated her from the moment they saw her and it wasn’t right. If they had gotten to know her-”

Rhaella shook her head and cut him off. “That’s not what Aunt Sansa says-”

“Aunt Sansa betrayed us, Rhaella. She broke an oath she made to me and she tried to overthrow your mother. She committed treason.”

Rhaella sighed. He had told her this before. She always sided with the Starks that had raised her and not the woman that had murdered everyone. “Okay, Papa.”

He wrapped an arm around her and started stroking her hair. “How is your mother?”

“Daenerys is alright, I guess.”

“Are you being nice to her?”

She didn’t reply, not knowing what to say. “Rhaella, you need to be nice to her, okay? You need to try to get to know her.”

Rhaella sighed again. “How about I just try to get to know Aemon for now? He’s enough for me at the moment.”

Jon let out a slight chuckle. “Okay, but you can still be nice to your mother. Now would you like to hear a story?”

Rhaella nodded eagerly. 

“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll make you a deal; if you promise to help your brother out with his lessons I’ll tell you two stories.”

“Really?”

He laughed again. “Yes, but they’re going to be short. You need to get some sleep.”

* * *

Every night Rhaella would sneak down to the dungeons to talk to her father and hear a story, just like she had done before Daenerys returned to Dragonstone. Staying up half the night and all day was exhausting, but she wouldn’t trade the time with her father for the world.

Unfortunately one night exhaustion got the better of her, and she and Jon both fell asleep before she could return to her room.

They were woken the next day by shouting outside his cell. It didn’t have widows, but they could see sunlight streaming in at the end of the hall. Jon tensed and Rhaella hugged him protectively, started to cry in fear. 

Daenerys had fire in her eyes when she stepped into the cell, but then saw how tightly Rhaella was holding Jon. She nodded to the guards, dismissing them to stand outside the cell and knelt next to her daughter. 

“Rhaella.” Daenerys was firm, but tried to be soft. She hadn’t seen her daughter so terrified since her arrival on Dragonstone. 

Jon spoke next, rubbing her back and holding her close. “Rhaella, sweetheart, it’s going to be okay.”

“Papa, don’t let her take me away from you. Please, please, please. Don’t let her take me.” She whimpered and buried her head into the crook of his neck.

“Rhaella I’m not going to hurt you.” Daenerys reached out tentatively to stroke her hair. Rhaella held her father tighter and started crying. 

“Sweetheart, it’s going to be okay. You’re going to be safe with your mother, alright?”

“Don’t let her take me away from you, Papa. Please.”

Daenerys took a deep breath. “Rhaella, it was very dangerous for you to sneak out of your chambers. The whole castle has been up searching for you all day, you know that? You really scared us.”

Rhaella didn’t respond, so Jon spoke. “It’s my fault, Dany. I should have told her to stop coming.”

“Coming?” She raised her eyebrows, a quiet fury in her voice. “She’s done this before?”

Jon pursed his lips and nodded. “Every night for the past moon.”

She quickly withdrew her hand from Rhaella’s hair and stood up, taking a few steps back but not leaving the cell. She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to keep her composure. 

“Rhaella, you have been coming down here to see your father every night?”

Rhaella didn’t respond, so Jon spoke up. “Dany-”

“I told you never to call me that. Rhaella, answer me. Have you been coming down here every night?”

“Yes.” She had stopped crying, but wouldn’t let go of Jon. 

Daenerys was at a loss. “I’m sorry, Daenerys. It’s all my fault, please don’t take it out on her-”

She silenced him by raising her hand, letting the quiet reign for a moment. Rhaella finally spoke again. “Please don’t take him away from me.”

Daenerys wrung her hands and bit her lip, completely conflicted. Jon spoke again, quietly and just to his daughter. “Rhaella, you need to be brave now, okay? You need to be a good girl and listen to your mother and you need to know that I love you always.”

“Papa, I don’t want to leave you.”

Daenerys made up her mind. Rhaella had been far happier recently. She still wasn’t warming up to Daenerys, but she was being far nicer to Aemon, and she had stopped acting up and talking back, at least not as much as she had first been. 

Daenerys crouched back down to stroke Rhaella’s hair again, even though it meant getting uncomfortably close to Jon.

“Sweetling, I don’t want you visiting your father in the cells anymore-”

“No! Don’t take me away from him!”

“Let me finish. I don’t want you visiting him here anymore, so instead I’m going to let him visit you in your chambers before bed every night, okay?”

Rhaella pulled back from her father and looked at Daenerys, taken aback. 

“Really?” She whispered, afraid she had misheard. Daenerys nodded and suddenly Rhaella was hugging her. “Oh, thank you thank you thank you!”

Daenerys smiled, and returned the embrace. After a moment Rhaella pulled back, regaining her composure and smiling at Jon, who turned towards Daenerys. “Thank you.”

She gave him a forced small smile and nodded. “Come on, Rhaella. You’ve missed lunch, I’ll go eat something with you. You’ll see your father tonight.”

Rhaella gripped Jon tightly again. “Go on, Rhaella. Go with your mother. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

Finally Rhaella let go after he and Daenerys repeatedly assured her that he would indeed see her again that night. She and Daenerys went up and had a private lunch. Rhaella was a little friendlier, but still reserved. Most of their meal was spent in silence, but when it was over Rhaella thanked Daenerys again before going to her lessons. 

“Papa said he wants to talk to you. He’s been telling me since I started going to see him, but I never knew how to ask you. Will you go talk to him?”

Daenerys’ mood soured and she nodded at her daughter, although she was in no hurry to see Jon again. Shortly after lunch she decided to make her way down to the cells while Rhaella and Aemon had their lessons.

Jon began. “How could you-”

“Rhaella told me that she was taken by Arya Stark?” A few weeks ago Daenerys had been questioning her daughter and discovered that she didn’t believe Jon had been the one to take her. It had been bothering her ever since, but she hadn’t wanted to visit the cells. Seeing Jon was always painful.

Jon’s expression changed from one of anger to one of confusion. “I don’t know, she probably was.”

“You don’t know?” Her tone was accusatory. 

Jon shook his head. “I never really questioned her on it. When Rhaella was found-”

“Found? You mean stolen?”

Jon pursed his lips before continuing. “When Rhaella came into my life, I didn’t believe it at first. At the time it had been near two years since I had been exiled.”

“Exiled?”

Jon nodded. The Night’s Watch was considered exile by many. The first time he had been sent there it was voluntary, but the second time was exile. “After your death, I was sent to the Night’s Watch. I went north of the Wall to live with the Free Folk.”

“I’m sure you were more than happy to break your vows again.” She said to try to add insult to injury. 

He frowned at her. “I never took them a second time. There was no point, the Night King was dead. After around two years north of the Wall Sansa sent some men to come take me back South. When I arrived Arya told me she had found Rhaella living with a midwife in Pentos. She recognized her features immediately and after pressing the midwife she told her you were her mother and that you had died in childbirth.”

“And you believed her?” She practically laughed at his ignorance. 

“Aye. I thought that if you were alive that Bran would have told me, and I knew you would never part with her unless you were dead. After I came back down south Bran said she was going to be named his heir and gave me no choice but to become Lord of Dragonstone. If I hadn’t they wouldn’t have let me raise Rhaella.”

Daenerys shook her head. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“You think that if for one moment moment I knew you lived I wouldn’t try to get her back to you? You think I wanted her to grow up without a mother? Without you? I would never deny you her, Daenerys. Unlike what you’ve forced Aemon to endure.”

Fire sprung into her eyes. “Forced him to endure? What have I forced him to endure? I have done everything in my power to keep him safe.”

“He never had a father. No child should have to suffer the absence of a parent. We could have been a family, Daenerys. If I had known-”

“We could never have been a family. Not after what you did.”

He shook his head, disgusted with her response. “Does he even know about me?”

“He knows that you were a good man when I knew you and he knows that you killed me.”

“Does he know about Kings Landing?”

“No.” She was quick to answer, and firm in her answer.

“He has to know. You can’t let him live his entire life ignorant of the fact that-”

“When he’s older he’ll come to understand. He’s too young. Rhaella is too young, yet you told her and now she’s turned against me.”

Jon shook his head. “You can’t protect him from the truth. You can’t change what you did. Not telling him won’t erase the past.”

“If I look back I am lost. There’s no point in dwelling on the past, Jon.”

“My name is Jaehaerys. Everyone in Westeros knows what you did, Daenerys. It’s only a matter of time before he finds out.”

She shook her head and turned to leave before he called out. “You have to let me see him.”

“No.” She was certain and definite in her response. 

“I’m his father. He has the right to know me.”

“He has no interest in his mother’s murderer, I can promise you that.”

“Please.” There was pain in his voice. “I don’t care if he hates me. Just don’t keep me from him. Please.”

She paused a moment. “I’ll consider it. In the meantime, I’ve decided it’s no longer appropriate for you to remain in the cells. I’ve had a chamber on the other side of the castle prepared for you, far away from the children. You’ll remain there from now on.”

“Am I still able to see Rhaella every night?”

She nodded, then left.

* * *

Before Jon went up to say goodnight, Daenerys made sure he had had a bath and clean clothes so he would be presentable for Rhaella. She hated the thought of her daughter locked away in a dark cell with him. Surprisingly Jon also requested a shave. She had always preferred him with a beard, but she didn’t deny him the barber, though she secretly hoped he would continue to keep his hair long and wear it down.

Rhaella couldn’t wait for her lessons to be over so she could see her father again that night, but they seemed to drag on forever, as did supper. But finally it was time for bed and she would get to see Jon again.

She shouted with joy when she saw him, rushing to give him a big hug. Both had huge smiles as he tucked her in and told her a bedtime story. Daenerys waited outside the door, making sure Jon didn’t say anything she deemed inappropriate. Rhaella didn’t want him to go, but when he finished the story he said goodnight and returned back to his cell, escorted by the guards. 

Daenerys quietly hung outside her daughter’s door for a bit longer after he had left, wondering if she would ever smile for her like that. If she could ever love her like that. 

“Goodnight, Rhaella.” Daenerys hesitated, wanting to kiss her goodnight, but knowing it was probably a bad idea. 

“Goodnight, Daenerys.” Rhaella grumbled towards the wall, her back turned to her mother.

Daenerys decided not to push her luck and kiss her, but did call out one last time. “I love you, sweetling. I’m just in the next room if you need anything, okay?”

Rhaella didn’t respond, so Daenerys left to tuck Aemon in. 

“I know she acts like she doesn’t like you, Muña. But I think she does.” Aemon confessed as she brought the covers up to his chin. “You’re the best Muña in the world.”

Daenerys smiled down at him, stroking his hair. “And you’re the best son in the world. Now you’d better get some sleep.”

* * *

“Bran, we have to do something.” Sansa was adamant in her hatred of Daenerys and fiercely protective of her niece. While Podrick had sailed to Dragonstone she had taken a smaller ship to King’s Landing to meet with her brother. Tyrion, Ser Davos, Bran and her were all discussing the recent negotiations Ser Davos had returned from.

“What exactly do you propose we do?” Tyrion was pouring himself yet another glass of wine. It was Bran’s philosophy that his Hand should remain sober and sharp, but Tyrion was insisting on being drunk when Daenerys came for him. He figured if he was going to die it should at least be with a belly full of wine. 

“She has a dragon and a Dothraki army.” Bran reminded them. “ As well as Rhaella and Jaehaerys.”

“Exactly, we don’t know what she’ll do to them if we don’t act!” 

“He’s the father of her children.” Davos had been advocating for Daenerys, not wanting to see the family torn apart again.

“Children?” Sansa asked in shock.

“Daenerys had twins. Jaehaerys has a son as well. Aemon.” Bran replied, no hint of emotion in his voice.

Sansa sat back in her chair and scoffed. “Why couldn’t Arya take both of them, kill that dragon whore, and be done with it?”

“That dragon whore is the mother of your niece!” Davos reminded her.

“Attacking Dragonstone would be futile, even without the dangers to Jae and Rhaella.” Tyrion chimed in. “We all know what that dragon can do. Perhaps it’s best not to provoke them.”

“So we should wait for her to strike? We should just lie down and let her slaughter all of Westeros?” Sansa was getting fed up. 

Suddenly Bran’s eyes went white. Tyrion slumped down into his chair, laughing. “Ahh yes, what wise counsel from our King. Brilliant. Way to help us solve the problem.”

Ser Davos, Sansa, and Tyrion continued arguing for the next hour with no resolution. They debated battle plans and took stock of resources as they waited for Bran to return. Suddenly he did, whipping his head around to look at Tyrion. “We need to get word to Dragonstone.”

“Word of what?”

“The news of Daenerys’ resurrection has spread in the east. They’ve sent a faceless man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol do you guys remember when I said I had a ridiculous amount of schoolwork and I wouldn't be able to update as frequently? Fun fact: I don't like schoolwork so I decided to procrastinate and write this instead of my essay for film class! Also I felt like the last chapter was more logistics and this one has some things of substance happening so I wanted to get it out there sooner rather than later. Though seriously, I cannot promise I'll keep updating this regularly. (He says before he posts another chapter like a day after the last one.)
> 
> Jon is back in action as a dad, so that’s great! Though we still haven’t seen him and Aemon together… I know we still haven’t really met Aemon, that’s mostly me being lazy and not really knowing how to write him. It does seem like Rhaella is warming up to him though, right?
> 
> Uh-oh. Faceless men generally aren’t great news. Maybe they’re just sending him to deliver a welcome back card? No? Damn.


	6. Sweet Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not all is well in Dragonstone one night.

It had been a few days since Daenerys had permitted Jon to begin visiting Rhaella at night, and her daughter’s mood had been transformed. She was starting to engage in conversation at dinner, she eagerly played with Aemon after their lessons, and she was much more agreeable overall. 

Daenerys still worried about the influence Jon may be having on turning her daughter against her, as Rhaella hadn’t warmed up to her still. When Daenerys tried to speak with her alone or suggested the two of them do anything together without Aemon then Rhaella refused, but would speak with her mother when Aemon was also around. 

That night Daenerys’ night terrors came back. She hadn’t had the nightmare for a few moons, but for whatever reason it returned now. They were standing in the throne room, his lips on hers, when suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her chest and her vision started to go black. She felt blood filling her lungs, she struggled to breath. His face was the last thing she saw, looking down at her with tears in his eyes. 

Suddenly she was brought back to reality when someone shook her awake. When she opened her eyes she saw Rhaella, looking annoyed. “You were yelling. It woke me up.”

Daenerys sat up, hurrying to wipe the tears from her face. “I’m sorry, sweetling. I had a bad dream. Everything is alright.”

Rhaella nodded and turned to go, but then stopped and turned around. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Daenerys gave her a weak smile and nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

Rhaella thought for a moment, then seemed to make up her mind about something. “Do you need to talk about it? Papa always makes me feel better when we talk about my nightmares.”

“Okay.” Daenerys tried not to sound too eager. She didn’t know what had come over her daughter, but she wasn’t going to complain. She pulled back the blankets on her bed so Rhaella could join her. Rhaella climbed into bed, but distanced herself from Daenerys as much as possible. Daenerys decided not to push her luck, and scooted a little further away to give Rhaella some space.

Rhaella sighed, regretting her decision already. “What happened in your dream?”

Daenerys took a deep breath. “I had a dream that your father stabbed me. I used to dream it every night, but I haven’t had it in a while.”

“You dreamed that Papa stabbed you? Like when he did because you burned down Kings Landing?”

“Yes.” Daenerys said, shame and sorrow in her voice.

Rhaella thought for a moment. “Papa always says that it wasn’t your fault and I shouldn’t blame you. But I think you did a bad thing and it’s good that he stabbed you.”

“Oh.” Daenerys was surprised that Jon defended her to their daughter. 

“I guess getting stabbed would be pretty scary though. Papa told me about when he got his scars on his chest and how scary that was.”

Daenerys nodded, hoping they were making some progress. “It was really scary. It hurt a lot, and all I could think of was how I wanted to live so I could bring you into this world.”

Rhaella furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“Your father killed me when I was pregnant with you and Aemon.”

“What?”

Daenerys nodded, just as terrified at the thought of their death now as she had been when it was a reality then. 

“Did… did Papa know? Know that you were pregnant?”

Daenerys shook her head, wanting to comfort her daughter. “And I know that if I had told him he never would have hurt you. Your Papa and I both love you and Aemon more than anything in the world.”

Rhaella let out a deep breath at hearing that Jon didn’t know about her when he killed Daenerys. Her mother kept talking. 

“Rhaella, I was so relieved when I came back and the priestess told me that you and your brother were still alive. I remember the first time I held you. Your brother was screaming and crying, but you were so calm.”

Rhaella scooted a little closer to her mother, and Daenerys gently reached out to stroke her hair. Surprisingly, Rhaella didn’t push her away. “Was I always calm?”

Daenerys laughed and shook her head. “No. You were calm for about the first few minutes I held you, and then when Aemon kept crying you started crying. The two of you didn’t stop crying for a whole year, I think.”

“Yes we did! There’s no way we cried for a whole year.”

Daenerys laughed again, inching closer to wrap an arm around Rhaella. “I swear, the two of you did not stop crying for a year. I don’t know if I got any sleep. But I wouldn’t have traded all of that crying for anything.”

“You didn’t get sick of it?”

“Not one bit.”

Rhaella furrowed her brow. “Why?”

“Because you and your brother were the ones crying. And I didn’t want to miss a second of it. I loved watching you two, even when I wanted to cry because I couldn’t get any sleep. I wouldn’t have given up those times for anything.”

She paused for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing. “When I woke up one night and you were gone it was the worst moment of my life. I’ve spent every moment since then trying to find you.” 

Rhaella nestled closer to her mother. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, sweetling. It’s not your fault you were taken.”

Rhaella shook your head. “It’s not Papa’s fault either.”

Daenerys was quiet for a moment. “I know, but I can never forgive Jon for keeping you from me.”

Rhaella sighed, frustrated. “His name is Jaehaerys.”

She was starting to nod off. Daenerys bent to kiss her forehead and pulled the blankets a little closer to them before drifting off herself.

* * *

Rhaella had been sleeping a lot more peacefully now that she had begun to see her father again every night. He always knew how to calm her down and make her feel safe before bed. However, that night something felt off. She didn’t think it was simply being in Daenerys’ bed. All day she had felt like she was being watched. 

A short while after dozing off she woke up and sensed movement in the room. She didn’t move, but tensed. Her breathing slowed as she tried to feign sleep. She heard a few light footsteps on the floor, like they were barely there. If Arya hadn’t taught her to trust her senses she might have been able to dismiss them.

As the footsteps neared her bed she suddenly leapt up. The room was dark but she could make out the faint movement of a figure and saw the glint of a steel dagger in the moonlight. She took a deep breath and hurled herself at the attacker, screaming as she did so. 

Arya had taught her well, but the attacker put up a struggle. She yelled out for a guard as he tried to silence her. Daenerys shot up after hearing Rhaella calling out, and screamed for a guard as well before joining her daughter in wrestling the blade away from the attacker. 

Eventually two guards rushed into the room and the man was finally disarmed. Rhaella had suffered a cut to her upper arm but it was nothing serious. Daenerys remained unscathed. Just as the guards grabbed the man he downed a vial of something, and within moments he was dead. 

Daenerys sent one of the guards for Aemon, and the other for the maester and at Rhaella’s insistent demand, Jon as well. Daenerys tore part of her bed sheet to fashion a bandage for her daughter’s arm, though Rhaella was insistent that it wasn’t a serious injury. 

“Really, Daenerys. I’ve had far worse.”

Daenerys arched her eyebrows in response, preparing to kill Jon for allowing harm to come to their daughter. Just as she was finishing tying the torn sheet around Rhaella’s arm Aemon came into the room. Terrified at seeing the corpse he rushed over to hug Daenerys.

“C’mon Aemon, it’s just a dead man. There isn’t even blood.” Rhaella rolled her eyes. Aemon slowly looked back at the body, but was still scared. “What happened to your arm, Ella?”

Just as Rhaella was about to answer her brother they heard hurried footfalls echoing down the hall and within moments Jon appeared in the doorway. “Papa!”

Rhaella rushed into his arms and he held her tightly. “Are you okay, sweetheart? The guard told me someone broke into the room and that he had a dagger-”

“It’s okay, Papa. I did what Aunt Arya and you taught me and I fought him off.” 

Suddenly Jon noticed her arm. “Rhaella, what happened to your arm? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I got cut when I was fighting him. But it’s okay. It’s not nearly as bad as the time we were hunting that bear two years ago.”

Jon shook his head, smiled at her, and kissed her head before turning to Daenerys. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, being sure to remember the bear comment for later. Then Jon’s eyes drifted to the boy standing next to her and his breath caught in his throat. “Aemon?”

Aemon moved behind Daenerys and she put an arm in front of him protectively. “I think it may be best you return to your room, Jon.”

“Why?” Rhaella asked, irritated. 

Jon looked at his son and saw how scared he was. “It’s alright, Aemon. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Aemon seemed to grow angry. He wasn’t aggressive, but rage clouded his face. “You shouldn’t be here. You killed my muña.”

“She deserved it!” Rhaella shot back. 

“Rhaella!” Jon barked. She immediately got a guilty look on her face and turned her eyes downward as her father continued. “I’m sorry, Aemon. I wish I hadn’t had to kill her.”

Daenerys cleared her throat and gave Jon a death stare, trying to make it clear that this was not something he should be talking about. He continued, trying to avoid sensitive territory.

“I promise I’m never going to hurt you or your mother again. I love you, Aemon. I’m sorry I haven’t been-”

“I hate you! You killed Muña! I want you to go away and never come back!” 

Rhaella looked as if she was ready to tackle Aemon for attacking Jon, but Jon squeezed her shoulder and bent down to hug her again to whisper in her ear. “It’s okay, sweetheart. He’s going to need time.”

Maester Owyn arrived, quickly looking over Rhaella and declaring that she needed to come back to his chambers so he could see to her cut properly. He also requested the body to examine for information about the nature and origin of the attacker. 

Jon offered to accompany Rhaella and Maester Owyn and Daenerys agreed so that she could stay with Aemon. After the attack she decided he and Rhaella would be safer sleeping with her, so the two of them climbed into her bed. She had the guards outside their room doubled, as the attacker had killed the two guards posted in their hall before he came for them.

* * *

“This hurts!” Rhaella protested as Master Owyn stitched her wound. Jon held her hand.

“I know sweetheart, but this will help keep out infection. And then you won’t have as big a scar.”

“But I like scars! Scars make you tough!”

Jon laughed. “Well I’m glad you think so, because at the rate you’re going you’re bound to have quite a few.”

Maester Owyn spoke up as Rhaella flinched as the needle went into her arm once more. “Not many people share your opinion, Rhaella. Most people hate scars.”

“Well I don’t care what most people think. Papa and Aunt Arya have scars. They’re the mark of great warriors.”

“And you are most definitely a great warrior, Rhaella. Scars or no scars.” Jon smiled as she held his hand even tighter as the final stitches were being tied off. 

“Do you know why the man came to kill us, Papa?” 

Jon shook his head. “No, but we’re going to find out. I’m not going to let anyone get that close to you ever again. Even if you can defend yourself against them.”

She smiled for a moment, then frowned. “I bet I would be even safer if Daenerys let me start training again.”

Jon frowned as well. “That’s something we’ll both have to ask her about, I suppose.” 

With her stitches all in place Maester Owyn wrapped a bandage around her arm and told her to be careful with how she moved her arm for the next few days. When they left his chambers the guards instructed them that Daenerys wanted Rhaella brought to her mother’s room and that Jon was to go back to his. Rhaella firmly refused to be parted from him, but Jon told her to listen to her mother and that he would see her the following evening.

Before leaving for his chamber Jon told the guard to keep a keen watch and that if anything happened to Rhaella, Aemon, or Daenerys that he would be sure to kill all of the guards as painfully as possible. Rhaella rolled her eyes and said she could protect herself before hugging him and following the guard to Daenerys’ room. 

Once there she climbed into her mother’s bed and laid as close to the edge as possible so as to be as far away from Daenerys and Aemon as she could manage. Despite the attack she was able to fall asleep relatively quickly, though Daenerys lay awake for the rest of the night, watching over her children.

On the other side of the castle Jon was awake as well, pacing and trying to piece together who could have sent the assassin. He was going to bring fire and blood to whoever it was that thought they could attack his family. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I think this is definitely going to bring them closer together as a family… so long as they don’t get killed.
> 
> How should everyone proceed from here? Was this realistic? I have some ideas in the works for the next few chapters but I worry things aren't realistic and that everything is changing too suddenly. Did this seem to be too much of a jump?


	7. Battle Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> House Targaryen unites and Daenerys prepares for war.

“We’re leaving.” Daenerys had barely slept. She woke Rhaella and Aemon by drawing back the shades and announcing their sudden departure. 

“What?” Rhaella asked, still half asleep.

“We’re leaving. You, Aemon, and I. We’re going back across the Narrow Sea. I never should have allowed us to stay here. I should have known we wouldn’t be safe.”

Aemon stretched and got out of bed, yawning. “Okay, Muña. How much stuff can I bring?”

“Not much. We’re going to be flying. I don’t think we have enough time for Yara’s ships to come back for us. We’ll fly to Valyria, then seek transport to-”

“No.” Rhaella was thoroughly confused. Daenerys sounded insane. “I am not packing, I am not leaving, and I am not getting on a dragon.”

“Rhaella, we aren’t safe here. We’re leaving and that’s final.”

Rhaella got up and moved to go to her chambers, calling back over her shoulder. “Great, I’ve wanted you to leave since you came! Have a nice trip! Without me!”

Daenerys sighed and shook her head. It seemed like all her life she had been running from assassins, and now that they were coming for her children she was not taking any risks. When Rhaella and Aemon were born she had been cautious, but after Rhaella’s disappearance she had been paranoid about Aemon’s safety. She had taken Brandon Stark at his word but she saw now that that was a mistake. 

There was a sudden knock on her door and a servant entered. “There’s a messenger here, your Grace. Says it’s urgent.”

She quickly got dressed and went down to speak with him.

“King Bran sent me, milady. Said it was urgent. I took the fastest ship we have.”

She took the parchment skeptically and almost laughed at its contents. 

_ Daenerys- _

_ You and your children are in great danger. The Masters of Slaver’s Bay have heard of your return and have employed the Faceless Men. Whatever resources you require to keep Rhaella safe are at your disposal. I have already sent an envoy to the Iron Bank to try to pay the House of Black and White to cease their attempts on your lives. I hope this letter finds you in time and that you are able to ensure her safety. If you are unable to do so then I will have no choice but to do so myself. She is to stay in Westeros, on Dragonstone. _

_ -Brandon Stark, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm _

“You’re dismissed.” She said to the rider, crumpling the letter. 

“You don’t wish to send the king a response?” He asked nervously. 

“No.” With that she left to prepare her children for their journey. 

* * *

Rhaella slipped away before Daenerys could return, desperate to see her father in case her mother was being serious about leaving. It wasn’t hard to find where he was being kept. She had grown up in Dragonstone, plus there were extra guards posted in his hall.

She quietly moved into a room a few halls over and started screaming like mad. As soon as she heard footsteps coming her way she slipped out. Just as she’d hoped, the guards were no longer in front of Jon’s door. She snuck into his room and found him asleep.

“Papa?” She shook him awake. When he first saw her he tensed, but relaxed when he realized there wasn’t an imminent threat. 

“Rhaella, what is it?” He sat up and moved to get out of bed. 

“Papa, she’s saying I have to leave and I have to fly on a dragon and I don’t want to. The dragon-”

“What are you talking about?” He was confused and thought maybe she had just had another nightmare about the dragon attacking King’s Landing.

“Daenerys says Aemon and I have to fly on the dragon and cross the Narrow Sea. I don’t want to leave Dragonstone. Please don’t make me! Don’t make me ride a dragon!”

“Shh, it’s alright sweetheart.” Rhaella was almost on the verge of tears. “Let’s go talk to your mother and see what’s happening, alright?”

* * *

The guards had told her that they had heard screaming somewhere in the castle and that they couldn’t find Rhaella, so Daenerys was more than furious when Rhaella and Jon found her. 

“The entire castle has been looking for you! You can’t just run off, especially after last night! I thought you’d been killed or kidnapped! Again!” She didn’t know if she wanted to hug Rhaella because she was alright or if she wanted to shake her for sneaking away. 

“It’s okay, Dany. She was with me.”

“I told you never to call me that. And it is most certainly not okay. This doesn’t concern you.”

Aemon was still mad at Jon, but was feeling more confident than last night. He clenched his fists and stepped in front of his mother. “What are you doing here?”

“He’s our papa and he’s going to keep us safe!” Rhaella shot back.

“How about we all calm down?” Jon suggested. He didn’t know what he had just walked in to. “Daenerys, Rhaella told me you were leaving?”

She nodded confidently. “It’s not safe for us here. We’re going back across the Narrow Sea where we can hide more easily.”

Rhaella scoffed and Jon gave her a harsh look. “Rhaella, your mother is trying to keep you safe. I don’t want anyone else to come after you either.”

“We’re the blood of the dragon! We don’t cower in fear, we bring fire and blood to our enemies. I refuse to run and hide.” Rhaella shot back. Daenerys dropped her jaw in shock. She had assumed after how Rhaella reacted to King’s Landing that she would be opposed to a war of any kind.

“I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want anyone else to try to kill us.” Aemon piped up to support his mother before Daenerys responded.

“What would you have me do? Burn King’s Landing again?”

Rhaella glared at her. “The people of King’s Landing did not do this. You will never burn innocents again. We need to find out who did this and show them no mercy.”

She looked to her father and Jon nodded in agreement. He had taught Rhaella to show strength when faced with threats, trusting that remembering the crimes of her mother would prevent her from going too far. 

“No. I’m not going to risk you or Aemon. It’s far safer to-”

Jon interjected. “Safer to what? Wait for them to come to us? You told me you burned King’s Landing to show strength, to show that House Targaryen isn’t to be trifled with. Now you want to let your fear rule you?”

“I’m never going to risk my children!”

“They’re our children, and hoping an assassin won’t find you is far riskier than making sure no assassin dares to come for you again!”

Daenerys had never seen Jon like this before. Even when he was telling her the Night King was coming for all of them he hadn’t been so driven to defeat an enemy. “I’m not going to allow any harm to come to you or them, Daenerys. We are not going to hide, we are going to attack. We are going to bring fire and blood down upon them and we will show them no mercy. They came for our children and I will not let that pass.”

Daenerys shook her head. “I can’t risk them, Jon. I just can’t.”

“My name is Jaehaerys Targaryen and our house will not suffer this quietly. I will not let you encourage them to continue to attack.”

“And attacking them won’t provoke them further?” She shot back.

“If we kill them all then they can never attack us again.” Rhaella responded cooly.

Jon softened, trying to appeal to Daenerys’ sense of reason. “When I met you you were hell-bent on delivering justice to those that had wronged our family. You-”

“That was before I was murdered.”

“Leave Muña alone! We need to leave and go somewhere safe!” Jon felt an overwhelming sense of guilt at Aemon’s attack. The last thing he had wanted was for his son to grow up afraid of him or anyone else. 

“Aemon, you’re going to be safe here. I’m going to keep you safe.” Jon promised his son. Aemon shook his head and crossed his arms, clenching his jaw. “I don’t trust you.”

“He’s our papa, you dolt. He’s not going to hurt you.” Rhaella rolled her eyes. 

“Muña is going to keep us safe!” Aemon shot back.

“Can we all try to calm down?” Jon suggested again. “Maybe we should all have breakfast.”

“No, we need to leave. The sooner the better.” Daenerys insisted again.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Rhaella folded her arms. 

Daenerys sighed, exasperated. “Rhaella-”

“No.”

Jon tried to reason with her. “Rhaella, your mother-”

“No.”

“Ella-”

“No. We’re not going anywhere. Dragonstone is my home and I will not leave it. I will not give in to fear.”

Eventually Daenerys decided that she agreed with Jon and that breakfast would be a good idea. They all sat in silence for a few moments after the servants brought it to them, then Rhaella finally spoke. 

“We could go to King’s Landing.”

“What? No.” Daenerys was very against that possibility. “We will not be returning to King’s Landing.” 

Jon brought a hand up to his forehead for a moment. “That’s not a bad idea. The gold cloaks-”

“We are not going to King’s Landing.” Daenerys refused to budge.

Rhaella sighed. “Well, we could ask Uncle Bran to send us more men.”

No one seemed to oppose the idea, but Daenerys was skeptical. “How do we know we can trust them?”

“How do you know we can trust the men here now?” Rhaella shot back. “They’re loyal to the realm. Loyal to the crown. Loyal to me because I’m the heir. No one in Westeros wants to harm me.”

“Everyone in Westeros wants to harm us.” Daenerys fired back. 

“And no one is going to harm any of us.” Jon stated confidently. “Now, first and foremost we need to send word to Bran.”

Daenerys scoffed. “He’s already sent word to us.”

The others looked at her expectantly and she continued. “I received a letter from him this morning. He claimed that the Masters of Slaver’s Bay were the ones that sent the Faceless Man and that he’s going to try to outbid them.”

“So what I’m hearing is that we need to either take out the Masters or take out the House of Black and White.” Rhaella said, very nonchalantly. 

“No, we need to leave. We don’t know who sent the assassins. It was probably your family.” She gave Jon a pointed look.

“Why would the Starks want to kill me?” Rhaella asked. “I’m their niece. I’m the heir to the throne.”

“They hate Targaryens. They want me dead.”

“For good reason.” Rhaella mumbled back. 

“Rhaella!” Jon barked. “Now is not the time to turn on one another.”

He sat up straighter and continued. “My brother Bran has visions. He can see things that are happening all around us, even if he’s nowhere nearby.”

Daenerys scoffed and Jon continued. “During the Long Night he knew the Night King had your dragon.”

Daenerys furrowed her brow, remembering and trying to think of a logical explanation. Aemon jumped in. “Who’s the Night King?”

Rhaella turned to her mother. “Seriously, Daenerys? Did you tell him nothing?”

Jon gave her a sharp look and she fell silent. He addressed his son. “The Night King was a very evil king that your mother and I fought off together. Someday when you’re older she’ll tell you more.”

Aemon glared at Jon but didn’t press it further. 

“Why would Uncle Bran send you a letter telling you that he was sending assassins?” Rhaella asked. Daenerys bit her lip and thought for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t know.”

“Is there someone other than the Masters that would want you dead?” Jon asked.

She scoffed. “Nearly everyone, I suppose. All of Westeros, and certainly the old slave cities want me dead most of all.”

Rhaella responded. “So Uncle Bran was right. We need to attack the Faceless Men or the Masters.”

“No, what we need to do is disappear. We need to make sure they can never find us again.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes and turned to her father. “How many men do you think we’ll need? Should we be moving an army that far or can we manage to get our numbers from sellswords?”

Jon stroked his chin. “I don’t think we should engage the Faceless Men themselves. Best to go after the Masters. What are their weaknesses?”

Both turned to Daenerys. She almost couldn’t believe the sight. Her missing daughter and her murderer turning to her for advice on how to retake the slave cities she had once liberated. The sight of Jon clean-shaven and in Targaryen clothing was enough to put her off, but the situation they were finding themselves in was just as improbable, though she had always known assassins would come for them.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? How did you take the city last time?” Rhaella sounded skeptical. 

“Last time I took the city I had eight thousand Unsullied and an army of sellswords, and the slaves were on my side.”

Rhaella turned back to her father. “Well we can definitely manage the sellswords. And maybe we should rally the remaining Dothraki for good measure. As for the slaves, I’m sure they have no love for the Masters. We can probably turn the slaves against them again, right?”

Daenerys shook her head. “Even after I took the city there was a rebellion. If I hadn’t had my dragons I would have died.”

Jon turned to Rhaella and sighed, chewing his lip. Rhaella shook her head. “No. That dragon is never going to kill anyone again.”

“Rhaella, if we-”

“Papa, I don’t want to hear it. Never again.”

He sighed and turned to Daenerys. “Would the slaves still follow you?”

She furrowed her brow. “I don’t know.”

“Would the sight of Drogon inspire enough fear, or would you actually need to kill people?”

“Papa-”

“I’m just asking, Rhaella.”

Daenerys sighed and nodded. “It wouldn’t hurt.”

“I don’t like this.” Aemon interjected. “I don’t want Muña or Drogon to get hurt.”

Jon offered his son a reassuring smile that Aemon did not return. “Aemon, your mother has flown into battle countless times-”

“I’m not flying into battle, Jon.”

“His name is Jaehaerys! And that dragon is never going to burn anyone again. Okay?”

Everyone at the table nodded guiltily, Daenerys especially. Jon tried to voice his reasoning. “That dragon is our best weapon-”

“Our best weapon is the loyalty of the slaves.” Rhaella responded.

Daenerys nodded. “And having me there atop Drogon will inspire that loyalty.”

Suddenly she shook her head, coming back to reality. “What are we even talking about? I’m not leaving you and Aemon alone, and I am certainly not bringing you to Slaver’s Bay with me. We need to get somewhere safe.”

“Dragonstone is as safe as any place. What we need to do is to stop another assassin from coming.” Jon argued. 

Rhaella stood up. “I’m going to write to Uncle Bran. He’ll hire us a sellsword army to take on the Masters. I think transporting the Dothraki there would take too much time, and we don’t want to be without any men here. Daenerys, you’ll ride the dragon and get the slaves to follow you. You will not kill anyone and you will not burn anything. Is that understood?”

Daenerys scoffed. “Rhaella-”

“I am Princess of Dragonstone and Heir to the Throne. I outrank all of you and I’ve just made up my mind. Thank you all for your counsel. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a letter to write.” With that, she left. 

“What in the Seven Hells was that?” Daenerys asked.

“That,” Jon replied, “was our daughter.”

Daenerys shook her head. “She’s never spoken to me like that before.”

Jon laughed. “When she makes up her mind about something there’s no stopping her.”

“I know she’s stubborn, but I’ve always been in charge.”

“It was because you were keeping him hostage.” Aemon chimed in, reaching for another piece of bread and some butter.

There was a tense moment between Jon and Daenerys before Jon tried to make a joke. “I should have tried keeping myself hostage years ago. I’ve had no way of negotiating with her.”

No one laughed. The three ate in relative silence until Rhaella returned. She joined them back at the table. “Now we’ll just have to wait for a reply. Though I still think it would have been wise for me to go to King’s Landing.”

“No.” Daenerys was not going to allow that.

Rhaella sighed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, Daenerys. It would have been faster.”

“I have specific orders from Brandon Stark that you are not to leave Dragonstone.”

All three other Targaryens looked at her before Jon spoke. “When did you speak to Bran?” 

“His envoy made it clear that he wants Rhaella to remain here, and his letter mentioned it as well.”

“What else did his letter say?” Rhaella asked.

“Just that the Masters had sent a Faceless Man and that your safety was of his utmost concern.” 

Rhaella picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, thinking for a moment. “I’d like to read it for myself.”

Daenerys scoffed. “You think I’d lie to you?”

“Yes.” Rhaella said, unfazed. 

“Rhaella, I’m sure your mother wouldn’t-”

She cut Jon off with a stern look, then continued eating. “I’m going to go to my lessons after breakfast, then Papa and I are going to train.”

“Rhaella, I’ve told you before that I don’t want you anywhere near a sword. And I still haven’t allowed your father free roam of the castle. Not after all he’s done.” Daenerys was quick to answer, not wanting her daughter to run wild.

“Yeah Ella, swords are dangerous and so is he.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “I’ve been training since I was five. I was a little rusty last night, I’d like to be better prepared in the future. And my father will not be locked up any longer. House Targaryen cannot be divided right now.”

“Five?” Daenerys turned to Jon with fire in her eyes. 

He nervously cleared his throat. “It wasn’t my idea.”

“Then whose idea was it?”

“Aunt Arya.” Rhaella replied.

Daenerys pinched the bridge of her nose. “I swear, if I ever get ahold of Arya Stark-”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “I’m done eating. May Aemon and I go to our lessons now?”

Jon nodded before realizing she was asking Daenerys, who also nodded, reluctantly. 

The children were off, leaving Jon and Daenerys alone. She quickly left also, suggesting he go back to his chamber or start training with the master of arms. Jon chose the latter.

* * *

Rhaella and Jon were both rusty after a few moons of not practising. He was worse for wear than she was seeing as he had been living off a diet of mostly bread and water. Both were still highly skilled, but tired more quickly than normal. After a few hours of practice after lunch they decided to head back to their rooms.

Usually Jon, and occasionally Rhaella, would spend the bulk of their days holding court or training, but Daenerys had taken over castle affairs and most people had been too fearful of Drogon to brave a visit to Dragonstone of late. So the pair found themselves without any obligations.

Jon suggested they go riding or take a walk but Rhaella was too fearful to venture outside beyond the training yard because of Drogon. He then suggested they spend the rest of the afternoon in the library but Rhaella claimed that she had been spending twice as long going over her lessons lately because of Aemon. Eventually they decided to sneak down to the kitchens to sneak some food and perhaps help cook some.

Rhaella and Jon had been the only two inhabitants of Dragonstone for years, excluding servants. When they weren’t hosting visiting lords or merchants the two preferred to eat in the kitchens with the servants. Growing up a bastard Jon was often cast out from feasts and had to eat with the servants, and didn’t mind continuing to do so now that he was a lord.

Rhaella’s friend Joanna worked in the kitchens, so she always liked to help her with her duties. Jon mostly sat and talked, helping where he could. He wasn’t a skilled cook, but would gladly wash dishes, peel potatoes, or help skin any meat they were having. 

Before they knew it it was time for supper, so they bid farewell to the kitchen staff and returned to the dining hall where Daenerys and Aemon were waiting. Aemon had missed his sister that afternoon, usually she would help him go over his lessons a second time or play a game with him. 

“Where were you, Ella?” Aemon was still very upset with Jon and was doing his best to ignore him.

“Papa and I were helping the servants.” Daenerys cocked an eyebrow, confused as to what Jon was doing down there. Ultimately she chose not to say anything. 

“And training went well.” Jon added. “I think any future assassins will be running in fear.”

“Well yes, especially because Daenerys is going to kill all the Masters.” Rhaella said, taking a bite of bread. 

“Am I now?” Daenerys still didn’t like the plan.

“Yes. Without burning innocent children, if you can help it.” It seemed Rhaella wouldn’t let up. 

“Rhaella.” Jon shot her a sharp glance. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Daenerys agreed, trying to think of something else to talk about. They sat in silence for a bit, as no one seemed to know what else to talk about exactly. Aemon finally broke the silence.

“Is it true you have a wolf?”

Jon nodded. “I do. He’s a direwolf, his name is Ghost. He’s all white with red eyes, and he’s about as tall as you.”

Aemon looked scared so Rhaella kept talking. “He’s really friendly. But he can’t live here because he prefers the cold. He’s up in the North with Uncle Tormund.”

“Who’s Uncle Tormund?”

Daenerys had mixed feelings about the red-haired Wildling, but didn’t have any particular reason to hate or distrust him beyond his affiliation with Jon. “He’s an old friend of your father’s.”

“Was he in the Night’s Watch? That’s in the North, right?” Aemon seemed unsure of himself. He had had to learn a lot about Westeros in his new lessons and got confused sometimes. 

Jon laughed and Aemon looked ashamed before Jon spoke. “You’re right Aemon, the Night’s Watch is a group of men that serve on the Wall and protect the realm. But Tormund-”

“Uncle Tormund is most definitely not a member of the Night’s Watch.” Rhaella agreed, laughing at the idea. 

“Why not?” Aemon asked, somewhat confused.

“Uncle Tormund is a member of the Free Folk, so he lives north of the Wall. The Free Folk used to hate the Night’s Watch.” Rhaella explained.

“Then why is he your friend?” Aemon was still confused. 

“Perhaps that’s a story for another time.” Daenerys suggested. She wanted Aemon to understand general Westerosi history, but the War of the Five Kings and the Long Night were too recent. Too indicative of the kind of people she and Jon used to be.

“Why?” Rhaella asked, but Jon knew to respect Daenerys’ wishes about when she would tell Aemon what had happened. 

“Rhaella perhaps it’s best not to get into that right now. After all, that’s a very long story.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “Okay, Papa. Well if we can’t talk about battle plans and we can’t talk about your adventures, what can we talk about?”

“What are you learning in your lessons?” Daenerys asked, trying to steer the conversation to a more neutral subject. 

They made it through dinner with only a few more awkward lulls, then Jon and Daenerys went to tuck Rhaella and Aemon in, respectively. Afterwards he turned to leave but she followed him, suggesting they talk in her solar. Once they arrived she began the conversation.

“I don’t think it’s a wise idea for me to go to Slaver’s Bay.”

“Do you have a better idea? That doesn’t involve hiding?”

She thought for a moment, hoping something would come to her, before shaking her head despondently. He continued. 

“I don’t like it either. I don’t want to risk you. Could I go in your place? Would Drogon allow me to-”

“No. After what you did I’m surprised he didn’t burn you to the ground.”

Jon chuckled and she gave him a sharp look. “Sorry, Daenerys. It’s just that when you died I was certain he was going to. For a long time I wished he had.”

She stood and crossed to the window. There was a full moon and she could see the waves crashing into each other. She started talking. “I’m willing to go. I’ve always been tempted to go back. When I heard the slave trade had returned I wanted to return and burn their cities to the ground. I fought so hard for them and it was all for nothing. I couldn’t protect them.”

“You can protect them. You can protect our children. We will protect our children. I promise you, Daenerys. No harm will come to them.”

She nodded without turning back to him. “You’re going to start sleeping in a room in the wing with the children. When I leave you’re going to be in charge of Dragonstone.”

“I am?” He was shocked. Logically he thought it made sense, but he had doubted Daenerys would ever trust him.

She took a deep breath and turned back to him. He was still shocked and continued talking. “Daenerys, a few days ago you had me in a cell. Now you’re going to trust me to run the castle?”

“Don’t make me second guess myself. I don’t have enough time to send for Yara and there’s no one else for me to trust, really. I would take them with me, but I’m going into battle and they need to stay here and stay safe. Someone reliable needs to be in charge. 

I would task Maester Owyn with it but after what has happened with Rhaella in the past few days… I know she’s missed you and I just can’t take you away from her again. It was wrong of me to do, I just- I can’t-”

“I know you don’t trust me. I killed you, you have no reason to trust me. My word means nothing to you anymore. But I love them, Daenerys. They’re my children. I’m never going to harm them.”

She nodded but continued. “Jon, you took her away from me.”

“My name is Jaehaerys, and Arya took her. I already told you.”

She shook her head. “I know, but still you kept her from me-”

“If I had known-”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that my own daughter hates me.”

“If it makes any difference, my son hates me.” Both scowled for a second before he smiled and continued. “But I have a chance to be his father now, Daenerys. I have a chance to change his mind. It’s the same for you and Rhaella. We’re all going to get a chance to be a family.”

“No. We will never be a family. Not after what you did.”

He nodded sadly. “We can still get to know each other. Grow to love each other.”

“Aemon will never love the man that murdered his mother.”

Jon stood up, preparing to leave before turning back. “Aemon may never love the man that murdered his mother, but I know Rhaella will come to see you for what you are. She’ll come to love you for what you are. I won’t give up hope and neither should you. The both of you are stubborn, but you’ll figure it out. After all, you and I did.”

He left. She didn’t know how to respond but she spent the rest of the night thinking over all he had said. 

* * *

Over the next few weeks they became two families of sorts. They would eat meals together but other than that their paths never crossed. Rhaella and Aemon had lessons together, but after them they would go to Jon and Daenerys, respectively. Aemon and Daenerys would play games together while Rhaella and Jon trained in the yard or helped the servants. 

Finally one night they got word from Brandon Stark. He had found them two sellsword armies, both of which were already marching to Slaver’s Bay. Daenerys would leave in a week to meet them at the gates of the city, then Drogon and her would lead the charge and rally the slaves to revolt. Ser Brienne, being one of the more honorable knights that Daenerys was least skeptical of, was heading the army and would meet her there.

The night before she left she asked Jon back to her solar after the children were in bed. She began the conversation. 

“Jaehaerys, if this has all been a ploy-”

“What?”

“If this has all been a scheme by your family to lure me across the Narrow Sea to kill Drogon and me-”

“Daenerys, we would nev-”

“You would and you have. Let me finish. If this has all been a ploy, and if by some miracle you do manage to kill Drogon and I, no harm can come to Aemon, alright? I know you’ll protect Rhaella, I know you say you’ll protect him, but-”

“Daenerys, he’s my son-”

“He has been my whole world, Jon. The only reason I’ve been able to survive these past ten years is because of him. If any harm comes to him-”

“No harm will come to him. I will never let any harm come to our children. And no harm will come to you, I swear it. If anything happens to you, if you get so much as a scratch, I will not let it stand. I will make what you did to King’s Landing look like mercy if you are harmed.”

She scoffed. “And when it’s your family that attacks me?”

He stood up and crossed the room to kneel in front of her. “What is my name?”

She practically rolled her eyes like her daughter frequently did. “Jaehaerys Targaryen.”

“Aye. That’s my name. Not Jon Snow. Never Jon Stark. Jaehaerys of House Targaryen. It doesn’t matter who I was raised by, Daenerys. The children I’m raising are Targaryens, they belong to our house, and that is the only house I am loyal to.”

She sighed, knowing he had always chosen the Starks over her. “And if your sister was to betray me again?”

“The only reason she isn’t dead now is because I was done killing after your death. I had no one left to kill for. But if Sansa ever harms another member of House Targaryen it will be the last thing she does.”

“I was referring to Arya. She kidnapped Rhaella and destroyed our family.”

Jon swallowed, his head reeling, but nodded after a moment. “If it comes down to it I will choose you over her.”

She scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”

“I hope I never have to prove it.”

She stood and crossed to the window. He stood as well, but elected not to follow her. “Was there anything else, your Grace?”

She almost wanted to laugh at hearing him call her by a title again and turned back to him to return to the past with him for a moment. “No, that will be all, Lord Snow. Unless you’d like to bend the knee?”

He gave her a confused look for a moment, then broke into a wide smile. “Goodnight, your Grace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I really need to stop posting a new chapter literally every day but the problem is that at this point I have 80% of each of the next seven chapters written and I’m terribly impatient. Whoops.
> 
> I loved all the comments on the last chapter that said something to the extent of “they all need to sit down and talk as a family”. I had already written most of this at that point so I’m glad this was a logical next step. Of course not all of the tension is gone; just because they all talked doesn’t mean they’ve come together as a family, but they are trying to unite as a House, despite still having internal conflicts. It may or may not be a hot minute before they sit down and discuss Jon and Daenerys’ full history. Sorry Aemon, you’re gonna remain clueless for a little longer.
> 
> I hope this was realistic. We have a lot more details to work out before any dragons are ridden or slaves are freed, but the Targaryens now have a rough plan in the works. I tried to work in skepticism towards Bran, but at the end of the day I think Rhaella and Jon are 100% trusting him because Rhaella is his heir and because Bran hasn’t ever lied about anything. (He has been a dick and withheld information, but he hasn’t lied.)
> 
> I was trying to make Rhaella a bit of a mini-Daenerys back when she was hell-bent on conquering the world. It’s a side of her we haven’t seen before because she’s been freaked out and powerless without Jon. Does Rhaella roll her eyes and act kind of bratty a lot? Yes. Is she still an immature child? Also yes. I felt I had to do something to remind us of that. Aemon is still kind of clueless, but is maybe developing some Targaryen spirit? 
> 
> Thoughts?


	8. Kepa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon bonds with his children and they do some wholesome things.

“Aemon you be good for your kepa now, you understand?” She was holding back tears and not doing all that good a job of it. She knew she had to be strong for Aemon but she had never left him with anyone for more than a few hours before and she was terrified. 

Aemon was sobbing and clutching her tightly. “Please don’t leave, Muña. Please don’t leave me.”

Daenerys was starting to cry so Jon stepped in, hoping he wasn’t crossing any boundaries. “It’s going to be okay, Aemon. We’re going to have a really fun time together.”

“No! I want Muña! You’re evil!” 

Rhaella stepped forward to rub Aemon’s shoulder as he held onto his mother. “C’mon, Aemon. Papa’s not evil. I’m going to be here, too. Your muña is going to be fine.”

“No. Don’t leave me, Muña. Please don’t.” Daenerys’ heart had never hurt so much, even when Jon had betrayed her and sunk a dagger into it.

“Aemon, you’re going to be alright. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Jon awkwardly moved forward to rub Aemon’s other shoulder, though he flinched away from his father. “Aemon your mother has to go away to protect you. She’s going to help keep you safe. In the meantime you’re going to be safe with me.”

“Muña, please. He’s going to kill me. Don’t leave me alone with the man that killed you.”

“He only killed her because-”

“Rhaella!” Jon barked. He was going to have to tell her that Daenerys didn’t want Aemon to know yet. His daughter loved to bring up King’s Landing but so far Aemon hadn’t caught on. While Daenerys was away he knew he needed to keep it that way. 

“Aemon, I promise your kepa is not going to kill you, okay?” Daenerys tried to step back to look in his eyes, but he held her even tighter. “Don’t leave, Muña. Please don’t leave.”

“It’s going to be okay, sweetling.” She kissed his head and then tried to wrench herself out of his arms. “It’s going to be okay.”

Aemon refused to let go so Jon helped Daenerys get him off of her and then held him as Daenerys walked to Drogon. Rhaella didn’t leave the castle doors, but Jon took a kicking and screaming Aemon to the cliffs with his mother, assuring him all the while. 

Before Daenerys mounted Drogon she kissed her son on the forehead one last time. “Aemon, be good for Kepa.” 

“Muña, please-”

“Take care of him, Jaehaerys. Please.”

“I swear it. Take care of yourself. Show them that they can’t attack House Targaryen. Protect our family. I will do the same.”

With that she gave him a curt nod and mounted Drogon. He had grown even larger in the years since Jon had last seen him and Jon was sure at the sight of him the Masters would surrender. Aemon cried as his mother left, but relaxed after she was a few leagues away. Jon was able to set him down. Aemon was still shedding a few tears, but followed Jon back inside after Daenerys disappeared on the horizon. 

“Can I go to my chambers?” Aemon asked once they were back inside the castle walls.

“But we’re going to practice shooting!” Rhaella said, eager to get back out in the yard.

Jon nodded at Aemon. “You can go back to your chambers. I’ll get you when it’s time for supper.” 

* * *

“Aemon?” Jon knocked on his door and found him reading a book on the history of Westeros. His son didn’t look up, so Jon sat on the edge of his bed and started talking. 

“You know, I knew another Aemon. When I was a lot younger I served in the Night’s Watch. I met him up at Castle Black. He was one of the first friends I had up there.”

Jon paused. Aemon still hadn’t looked up, but he had stopped reading and was listening to his father, who continued. 

“He was one of the wisest men I’ve ever known. He was the maester there. He was so old, but he kept on living because he knew he had to fight for the realm. To protect all of us so that someday we could all live a better life.”

Aemon looked up, interested. Jon kept speaking, giving his son a small smile.

“When I became Lord Commander Maester Aemon gave me the best advice. If it weren’t for him countless people would have been killed needlessly. I was so lucky to have had him with me up there. I wish he could have met you. He would have been so proud of you.”

Aemon shook his head. “No he wouldn’t have. I’m not very wise.”

Jon chuckled. “At your age I wasn’t half as smart as you were. I used to get in so much trouble. And I know you’re doing your best to study hard and that’s what matters. When I was your age I didn’t get to study.”

Aemon tilted his head. “Why?” 

“Because I was raised as a bastard. Do you know what that means?”

Aemon shook his head and Jon continued. 

“It means that my parents weren’t married.”

“Like me and Rhaella? You and Muña weren’t married, right?”

Jon paused and sighed in frustration. He didn’t want Aemon to think bastards were shameful.

“No, not like you and Rhaella. You and Rhaella will never be called bastards, okay? In many places in Westeros bastards are seen as wrong and shameful, but there is nothing wrong with you and your sister, alright? There is nothing for you to be ashamed of.”

Aemon nodded, still a little confused. “But you were ashamed?”

Jon nodded. “I was taught by my uncle’s wife that I should be ashamed and that I was bad. She didn’t want me to have lessons with her children.”

“But how did you get so smart?”

“I’m not that smart. But every day after the Stark children had their lessons I would sneak into the library and try to learn what they just had. Sometimes the Starks would help me. It was hard for me to learn, but I did my best to. It’s very important. I’m glad you’re doing your best.”

“Muña says the Starks are bad though.”

Jon nodded. “The Starks have done a lot of bad things. They’ve also done some good things. They were my family for a long time, but you and your sister and your mother are my family now. I don’t hate the Starks but your mother does, and I don’t blame her for that.”

Aemon bit his lip and nodded. “Okay. Are we going to have dinner soon?”

“Yes, son. Let’s go join your sister in the dining hall.”

* * *

Aemon was terrified to be away from his mother for the first time in his life, but he had Rhaella. Even though he hated Jon for killing his mother he knew that Rhaella loved him fiercely, so he was a little curious to get to know him. His mother had told him to give his kepa a chance, so he decided that he would have to. 

They had kidney pie for dinner. Daenerys despised it, so Rhaella was happy to be eating her favorite again now that her mother was gone. Aemon asked if he could have something else, but Jon pushed him to try it, and he found that he liked it a lot. He ended up asking for second and third helpings. 

“Can we have kidney pie again tomorrow?” Rhaella asked. Jon shook his head with a smile. 

Aemon joined in. “Please, Kepa?”

“We can have it again before your Muña comes home, but tomorrow I thought we could go hunt our supper. I saw some geese in the woods a few weeks ago.”

“What’s a geese?” Aemon asked. 

Rhaella responded, trying to find the right words. “A goose is a big bird. They have funny necks and big mouths and make funny sounds and they love to swim. They taste really good, too.”

Aemon considered for a moment. “I’ve never been hunting before.”

“That’s okay. I’m sure you’ll be able to catch something. And if you don’t that’s okay too, you’re still learning.” Jon reassured him.

“Okay.” Aemon said. 

“Now, let’s take our plates back to the kitchen and thank the cook.” Jon and Rhaella got up, but Aemon furrowed his brow. 

“Why?” 

Jon explained. "I used to have to eat with the servants sometimes, so I always like to help out. You should come with us, Aemon. Usually they’ll have some extra dessert down there.”

At the mention of dessert Aemon was convinced he should tag along, so he hesitantly helped his father and the servants carry their plates back down to the kitchen. 

When they got down there Aemon was a little scared of how busy things were, but he kept close to Rhaella and carefully followed everything she was doing, handing his dishes to the cook. 

“Thank you, Prince Aemon.” He said with a warm smile. Would you like some pudding?”

Aemon nodded vigorously, and was soon given a dish with some pudding. He followed Jon to the table where the servants ate. Rhaella was eagerly talking with her friend Joanna, but Aemon hung close to Jon, still weary of the new space. 

After their visit to the kitchens they all went upstairs, where they changed for bed. Aemon crawled into his bed, ready to go to sleep, when Jon called him from the next room. He reluctantly joined him and Rhaella. She rolled her eyes and lifted back her comforter, inviting him to sit next to her. He joined her, hesitantly.

“What story should I tell you tonight?” Jon asked. Aemon felt like he was betraying his mother, but she wasn’t there and he was intrigued. He knew Rhaella said Jon told the best stories. 

“How about the time your Uncle Robb and I lost our first battle?”

Aemon’s interest was piqued. “You lost a battle?”

“Aye. It was an important one, too.” Both children leaned forward, entranced. 

“Your Uncle Robb and I had just turned six, and there had been a massive snow storm a few days before the battle took place. We built a huge snow castle, complete with a tower. When Uncle Robb tried to climb the tower it broke apart and he fell, but it still looked impressive.

The day of the battle your Uncle Robb and I noticed another snow fort. It was much bigger than ours, and we had no idea what monsters might lurk there.”

“Were there white walkers?” Rhaella asked, some fear in her voice. 

Jon shook his head. “No. But Robb and I went to investigate and saw big footprints in the snow, and we heard the deep laughter of two creatures. We assumed the worst, and prepared for trolls.”

“What did you do?” Aemon asked, entranced.

“Well, there was only one thing to do. We made as many snowballs as we could.”

“What’s that?” His son asked. He had never been to the North, and the idea of snow still confused him a little bit. 

“Snowballs are balls made from snow, about the size of your fist. You throw them at your enemies and they make them cold, and sometimes they hurt a little bit.” Rhaella explained. “When we go North you and I can make some and we’ll attack Uncle Tormund. Now, tell us what happened next, Papa.”

“Well, Uncle Robb and I decided we had to protect our fort and attack the trolls before they came after us. So we took as many snowballs as we could carry, and crept into the fort. But the trolls were waiting for us. When we approached again they attacked us with snowballs. There was snow everywhere. It got in my hair and inside my clothes. I was freezing, but Robb and I couldn’t let the trolls win. 

We ran into their fort and threw as many snowballs as we could, but then the trolls captured us!”

“How did you escape?” Rhaella asked.

“Robb and I were certain to be dinner for the trolls. They had us surrounded. One of them grabbed me, and I was certain I was dinner. But then I heard Robb started laughing, and the troll started tickling me!”

Suddenly Rhaella groaned and smiled. “The trolls were Great-Uncle Eddard and his brother, weren’t they?”

Jon smiled and nodded. Rhaella gave a larger groan. “Why is it that the monsters in your stories are always Great-Uncle Eddard and Benjen?”

“Wait, so the trolls weren’t real?” Aemon was confused. 

“No, silly. There’s no such thing as trolls, right Papa?”

Jon raised his eyebrows. “I’ve never met a troll, but you never know.”

“Are trolls going to come attack us?” Aemon was a little scared.

“Of course not. We’re too far south. But will they get us in the North, Papa?”

“Well, if they do just remember to make as many snowballs as you can! And your Muña and I will always be there to protect you.” Aemon smiled at the thought of Drogon burning down a scary troll. 

“Can you tell us another story, Kepa?” Aemon asked hopefully. Jon smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s time for the two of you to go to bed. But I’ll tell you another one tomorrow.”

“Can you tell us about the time Aunt Arya made Aunt Sansa a pig again?” Rhaella asked hopefully. 

“We’ll see. Now, get to bed! I’ll be just down the hall if you need anything, okay?”

* * *

Later that night Jon was awoken by someone pulling on his arm. His eyes snapped open and he saw Aemon standing there, his face slick with tears. “Aemon, what’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream.”

Jon pulled back the covers and Aemon crawled into bed, burying himself in Jon’s chest and continuing to cry, softly. 

“Do you want to talk about what happened in your dream?” 

Aemon took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. I dreamed that Muña and Drogon got hurt and bad men took her.”

Jon rubbed Aemon’s back in circles, like he usually did for Rhaella. “Shh, it’s alright. It was just a dream.”

“But what if Muña really gets hurt? I know she went away to fight bad men.”

Jon bent down to look Aemon in the eye. “Your muña is the strongest woman I have ever met. She’s very brave, and very smart, and Drogon will always be there to save her. And if anyone ever tries to hurt your muña we’ll go and rescue her, okay?”

Aemon thought for a moment and his crying stopped. “Okay.”

Jon gave him a small smile. “By the time Muña comes back you’ll be good enough with a sword to protect her from everyone, right?”

Aemon nodded, eagerly. 

“Now, if you’re going to train again tomorrow you’d better get some sleep. Do you want me to take you back to your bed or do you want to stay here?”

“Can I stay here please?”

“Of course, son. Wake me up if you have another bad dream, okay?”

Aemon nodded and nuzzled further into Jon’s chest. Soon both were asleep.

* * *

Before their hunt they taught Aemon how to shoot a bow. He was a surprisingly fast learner and shot a goose on his third try. He declared that nothing had ever tasted so good and Jon was incredibly proud of what a good shot he was.

The following afternoon they finished up another archery lesson and Rhaella went to grab a sparring sword when Jon invited Aemon to join them. He was terribly nervous about it, saying that Daenerys always told him it was too dangerous and he was too young.

“C’mon, Aemon. I’ve been doing it since I was five.”

Jon also encouraged him. “You’re a natural with a bow, I bet you’re going to do great with a sword, too.”

Aemon reluctantly nodded and Jon got him a practice sword. Rhaella warmed up with one of the guards while Jon taught Aemon different sword stances and how to parry. Finally he figured his son was ready. He asked the master of arms to find him some appropriate armor and went over to talk to Rhaella.

“Now Rhaella, I don’t want you to beat him up.” He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and looked at her with an expectant expression.

“But Papa,” she whined, “that’s not fair! You don’t let me win!”

He gave her a small smile. “That’s because you’re getting very good and you want to keep learning. But Aemon held a sword for the first time ever today. Do you remember when you first started learning to fight?”

She thought for a moment, then nodded, hesitantly. “Do you remember how you beat Aunt Arya those first few times?”

She furrowed her brow and nodded again. “Now, do you think you would have wanted to keep learning if you felt like you could never beat her?”

“But I never beat her anymore!”

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “That’s because you’re really getting good and you can handle a challenge. But this is Aemon’s first fight and I don’t want him to feel like he can never be good. I don’t want you to make it easy, but I don’t want you to be mean or hurt him, okay?”

She pouted, but reluctantly nodded. “I’m not going to let him win every time.”

“How about every other time?”

She rolled her eyes. “Every third time? And I won’t hit him very hard.”

He nodded at her, smiling and standing back up. He turned to walk away, but then turned back to her. “Rhaella? Use the Westerosi style, okay? Even I get tripped up by your Braavosi skills, and I don’t want to confuse him.”

She huffed out again and nodded, moving to grab a different practice sword. Jon walked back over to Aemon, who had been helped into a padded shirt and a light gambeson, as well as a helmet. 

“Kepa, this is heavy.” Jon bent down and lifted off his helmet. “I know, but your sister is tough and I don’t want her to poke your eye out.”

Aemon’s eyes widened and Jon let out a small laugh. “I promise she won’t hurt you. If you want to stop you can ask to, and I’m going to tell you both to pause so I can give you pointers. Okay?”

“Okay, Kepa.” Jon beamed down at him, then leaned in close to whisper in his ear. “You should try and go for her left side, she never remembers to protect her thigh. But remember not to hit her very hard, and don’t aim for her head. Use your close right stance before you try and swing at her, okay? And remember you shouldn’t stand still, but you need to be firm on your feet.”

Aemon furrowed his brow in concentration and nodded. Jon put the helmet back on him. “I know it’s a lot to remember, but the more we practice together the easier it will be, I promise.”

Soon Rhaella and Aemon were staring each other down, swords drawn. “Are you both ready?”

They both said yes. “Alright, remember that you can stop at any time. You can get started.”

Rhaella made the first move, swinging slowly at his right side. Aemon quickly blocked the blow, so she pulled her sword back before trying his other side. He blocked that too, then swung at her upper arm, and Rhaella intentionally was too slow in blocking. Aemon stepped back and turned to his father. “I hit her, Kepa! Did you see?”

Jon let out a small chuckle at his son’s enthusiasm. “Yes, good job. Now you better watch her before she hits you!”

Rhaella advanced again, happily landing a counter blow. She tried to be gentle, but she wanted some revenge for the hit her brother just landed. After succeeding in her attack she spent a few minutes parrying before letting Aemon hit her again. 

Jon paused to help Aemon adjust his grip, then the two continued. After a while Aemon started to improve, slowly but surely. He was a fast learner. By the end of the session Rhaella didn’t have to go as easy on him, but she was still letting him get in a few blows now and then. 

Finally Jon saw his son tiring and decided not to push things. “Alright, I think that’s all for today. I want you to have some energy in case you want to practise more tomorrow.”

Aemon put his sword back carefully and took off his helmet. “Can we, Kepa? I want to get good enough to beat you someday!”

Jon beamed down at his son, grabbing his helmet from him and tousling his hair. “Of course! You’re a fast learner, I’m sure you’ll beat me in no time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: The sword fighting/training scene was the first thing I ever wrote for this story. I had this down before I even really knew what the general plot was going to look like. Wild.
> 
> So I think I’ve maybe mentioned this before, but I am horrible at writing Aemon (in my opinion). I really hope this wasn’t too rapid a shift for his attitude toward Jon, but I also feel like he doesn’t really hate Jon as much as Rhaella hates Daenerys. There are some key differences: 
> 
> Aemon knows that Jon killed his mother, but doesn’t really know why, whereas Rhaella heard from a ton of people that her mother burned King’s Landing because she was evil. Daenerys told Aemon about Jon once or twice and tries not to talk about him because the memories are super painful.
> 
> Rhaella has been telling Aemon this whole time that Jon is a stand-up guy. Aemon has also been defending his mother, but it’s super ingrained in Rhaella that Daenerys is bad.
> 
> Aemon has Rhaella with him; when Rhaella was initially alone with her mother and brother she didn’t know either of them. Now that Daenerys is gone Aemon still has his sister so he feels a lot safer.
> 
> Aemon doesn’t really have much of a backbone. Obviously Targaryens are known for having pretty sharp tempers, but his namesake was pretty chill and supportive so I think Aemon is definitely the calm one in the family. He’d rather try to live with Jon than try to create a lot of conflict.
> 
> So those are my reasons for writing Aemon like this and why he’s adjusted to Jon in like a day whereas Rhaella still hates her mother. Is it a shitty double standard? Yes. Am I going to change it? Too late. I just wanted a wholesome family chapter for like five seconds before the drama starts back up again.
> 
> Also, thank you guys for all the encouragement after I posted the last chapter. I didn’t mean to say that you can’t criticize me or anything, I just need a little motivation to know that people actually want me to continue with this story.


	9. A Wolf Among Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Stark makes and appearance and a dragon begins to wake.

“Papa! Papa, there are Stark ships coming!” Rhaella eagerly rushed into her father’s room, where he and Aemon were sleeping after another nightmare the night before. 

“What?” Jon asked sleepily as he and Aemon got up. He crossed to the window and saw a few boats nearing their shore. 

“Get dressed.” Jon ordered. He was nervous and hoped that it was a force of men from Bran sent to reinforce the castle or a supply ship of some kind. He was terrified that it would be Arya and he would have to confront her. 

He normally wore all black but decided on a red cloak emblazoned with the Targaryen sigil. He was representing their house and their family that day, he should look the part. When he saw Rhaella in a blue and grey dress he asked her to change.

“Why?” She wanted to embrace the Starks.

“Because our house has just been attacked and we need to show unity.”

Rhaella scoffed. “You don’t think the Starks would honestly attack us, do you?”

“Rhaella, you weren’t here when your mother met my family. Now more than ever it is important the House Targaryen is united. I know you don’t like your mother, but you’re representing your brother and I as well. Go change.”

She groaned but complied, returning in a dark red dress with black lacings. “Happy?”

He nodded and smiled at Aemon as he came down in a black tunic. Daenerys had never felt as strongly as Jon did about dressing the part of a Targaryen but she and Aemon weren’t opposed to the notion. 

When they got to the throne room Jon told Rhaella she should sit on the throne, seeing as she was Princess of Dragonstone. In the past he had sat on it but now she had been named heir. Aemon and Jon stood beside her, ready to receive their guests.

After a few moments Sansa Stark and her Queensguard joined them. 

“Aunt Sansa!” Rhaella jumped up and ran to hug her aunt, who eagerly embraced her.

“Rhaella! You’re getting so big!” After a short embrace she turned to Jon and Aemon. Aemon, knowing that the Starks were bad and that they had hurt his mother, was scowling with crossed arms. Sansa decided she’d have an easier time approaching Jon. 

“Jaehaerys, so good to see you.” She moved to hug him and he took a deep breath and gave in for a moment before pulling back. “What are you doing here, Sansa?”

“Can’t I just want to visit my brother and his daughter? And his son?” 

“Aye, but we both know there’s more to it than that. Rhaella, why don’t you and Aemon go with Maester Owyn and have breakfast? Your aunt and I have much to discuss.”

Sansa scoffed. “Jae, as Princess of Dragonstone she should be privy to any talks we have.”

“And as her father I’m telling her to go eat breakfast. If you need to talk to her later then you will, but you’ll talk to me first. Go, Rhaella. Go with her, Aemon.”

Rhaella heard how cold her father’s tone had become and she and Aemon gladly left, though Rhaella instantly began to worry.

* * *

“Have you spoken to Bran or Arya recently?” Jon asked after the two were seated in his solar.

“I’ve just come from King’s Landing.”

“He told you about Daenerys then?”

She nodded. “That’s why I’m here.”

“I’m afraid she’s just left. You won’t be able to betray us to our faces this time. Well, you could make any recent betrayal known to me, but you’ve just missed your opportunity to remind her of the treason you’ve committed against us.”

Sansa gave him a cold look. “I thought we had moved past this.”

“I hope we have. I just wanted to make it clear that another betrayal will not be tolerated. Why are you here?”

“As I said, I’ve just come from King’s Landing. Bran told me what happened. That she came here and took you hostage, that she’s been brainwashing Rhaella-”

“I am no longer captive. And Rhaella has not been brainwashed. Our family has been apart for our children’s entire lives, there has been an adjustment period.”

“Adjustment period? Jae, Pod told me you were in a cell!”

He clenched his jaw. “That’s not your concern. We’re past that now.”

“Yes, because that dragon whore has finally left.” 

With seconds he had stood and struck her sharply across the face. Her Queensguard heard the blow from the hall and rushed in, swords drawn. He was unfazed by their appearance. 

“She is the mother of my children and a member of my house! If you ever speak of her that way again it will be the last time you speak to me or to my children. Is that clear?”

She was reeling from the shock still but managed to nod. 

“Are you alright, your Grace?” One of her guards asked.

She nodded, sitting up straighter in her chair and giving Jon a death stare. “You may return to the hall. Everything is fine.”

As soon as they were left she hissed back at him. “If you ever strike me again I will not hesitate to allow them to gut you. The only reason I showed you mercy right now is because I know she’s in your head.”

“Aye, and she’s going to stay in my head. She’s the mother of my children and I will not tolerate any talk against her.”

“She burned a city!”

The fire returned to his eyes but he didn’t say anything. Sansa continued. “Jae, you’re not safe here! Rhaella isn’t safe here! You have to get away from here before she returns. I’m prepared to shelter you in the North. I’ve brought a small force with me, when Daenerys returns-”

“I am not taking my children away from their mother.”

“It’s what’s best.”

He looked disgusted at her and shook his head. “No. Perhaps what would be best is if you were never to see Rhaella again. I never should have let you know her.”

“What are you talking about? I’m her aunt!”

He shook his head. “You’re my cousin, not my sister. You know I have always been loyal to House Stark, but things have changed now. I have two children to protect. Right now Daenerys is in Slaver’s Bay fighting for our house and our family, I’m not about to betray her again.”

“How can you be loyal to her after King’s Landing?”

“How can she be loyal to me after I betrayed her? After you betrayed her?”

She sighed. “Jae, we’ve been over this. It was what was best for-”

“It’s what was best for you! What was best for the realm, or what was best for our family even, that was never on your mind.”

She remained silent and he continued. “You need to leave.”

“I want to speak with Rhaella.”

“Sansa, when Daenerys returns-”

“If she returns.”

He stared at her, anger consuming his features. “What have you and Bran done?”

She sighed. “Nothing. He has kept his word. There is an army waiting for Daenerys, ready to fight alongside her. I just think there’s a possibility she doesn’t return.”

He shook his head. “She’s going to return.”

“But-”

“She’s going to return. If she doesn’t return and her dragon does, I will do my damndest to control him and I will make what Daenerys did to King’s Landing look like a mercy. If she dies and if I find you had any part in it I will find the most horrendous way to kill you and then I will give you a slow and painful death. You had better pray to the Old Gods and the New that she returns. And when she does return, I’m going to tell her you were here.”

He saw a fear flash across her face for a moment before her usual cold exterior returned. “Why?”

“Because I’m never keeping anything from her again. She is the mother of my children and she will know whenever someone has come to visit them.”

“I’ve only come because I care about you and Rhaella. I want to protect you.”

“From what? The mother of my children, the woman I betrayed and murdered? My son who hates me because he was forced to grow up without a father? No one here needs protection, Sansa. You should go.”

She straightened in her chair. “I’d still like to speak to Rhaella.”

“Why?”

“So I know she’s being treated correctly.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “You don’t trust me?”

“I think Daenerys has her claws in you and you don’t know what you’re saying.” 

“You will see Rhaella with the consent of both her parents. When Daenerys returns I’ll communicate your request.”

Sansa gawked and shook her head. “You’re still in love with her, aren’t you?”

He didn’t respond so she continued. “You let her put you in a cell, take your daughter away, and now I’m offering you a chance to leave and you won’t take it? Please, Jae, do it for Rhaella’s sake.”

“I am doing it for her sake. Her surname is Targaryen, not Stark. You will not see her and my decision is final.”

Her nostrils flared. “She is Princess of Dragonstone and I’m a foriegn Queen. I have the right to speak to her, you’re not in command of Dragonstone.”

He stood, staring down at her. “If you wish to speak of political matters you may do that with the King of the Six Kingdoms, he’s only a few days away by ship. I wish you a pleasant journey, your Grace.”

He started to leave but she called after him. “Jae, please. Let me help you.”

He turned back to her, giving her a look that cut to the bone. “Get off of Dragonstone before we have no choice but to force you out. Goodbye, your Grace.”

With that he left. 

* * *

Rhaella rushed to find her father when she saw the ships leaving. “Papa, where is she going?”

“Back to the North, I hope.” He was not in a good mood. “Shouldn’t you be at your lessons?”

“I was supposed to speak with her! I’m Princess of Dragonstone!” She clenched her hands into fists. Unfortunately both of their tempers were flaring up. 

“I told her if she wanted to declare war or talk politics she should do that with the King of the Six Kingdoms. You couldn’t have given her what she wanted.”

“She’s my aunt! I should have gotten to see her!”

He looked up from the letter he was writing and brought a hand to his face, taking a deep breath. “Rhaella, I know I’ve told you this before and you don’t want to believe me, but you need to understand that your aunt Sansa betrayed your mother and I. It’s not good for her to be here right now.”

“Why does Daenerys get to ruin everything? Why are you siding with her and not Aunt Sansa? What’s wrong with you?”

He stood and gave her a harsh look. “Daenerys is your mother and a Targaryen. You’re a Targaryen, not a Stark. We must protect our house, Rhaella. Your aunt was only here to try to attack your mother and I was not about to allow her to do that.”

“Why? Why shouldn’t we attack her? She’s gone, we could-”

“Rhaella, you will return to your lessons right now or you will be confined to your chambers.”

“Papa, why are you doing this? What’s wrong with you?”

He crossed to the door and called for a guard. “Please escort Rhaella back to her chambers and make sure she stays there until supper.”

“Papa-”

“Go.”

She followed the guard back to her chambers, reeling from their conversation. She didn’t understand how he could choose the woman that he murdered and that had locked him up over the woman she had grown up visiting and caring for.

* * *

“Ella?” Aemon knocked at her door. He found her sitting at her desk crying and he came up to give her a hug. “Ella, what’s wrong?”

She hugged him back. “Papa yelled at me.”

Aemon furrowed his brow. Usually she loved their father. “Why?”

She pulled back and wiped her eyes. “Because he sent our aunt away and wouldn’t let me talk to her.”

Aemon frowned. “I kind of wanted to meet her. I’ve never had an aunt. But didn’t she do bad things that hurt Muña?”

Rhaella sighed. Jon had told her that she wasn’t allowed to tell Aemon about King’s Landing. As much as she wanted to tell him she didn’t want to get yelled at for a second time that day. “Aunt Sansa and your muña don’t like each other.”

Aemon frowned again. “Then why would she come here?”

“I don’t know. Papa wouldn’t let me talk to her.”

“Well then it must not have been very important. Besides, I know Kepa isn’t really mad at you. He was sad when we trained today. He told me I’m not allowed to come talk to you because you’re supposed to be thinking but I snuck out of the library so I could come see what was wrong. I think you two are both mad for no good reason. Can’t you just forgive him for not letting you talk to her?”

Rhaella sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Ella. You should apologize to Papa soon though, I think he’s going to let us eat in the kitchens again tonight if you do.”

Rhaella gave him a small smile and nodded before apologizing to her father. She didn’t fully understand why he had turned Sansa away but she realized there was no use in being mad at him any longer. He forgave her immediately, as both of their tempers had subsided.

They both enjoyed a meal in the kitchens with Aemon and the servants before he tucked his children into bed and told them a happy story. 

“Goodnight Aemon. I love you.”

“Goodnight, Kepa.”

He returned to Rhaella’s room after seeing Aemon to his. Rhaella was still awake and sitting on her bed, and Jon sat on the edge so the two could talk. 

“I’m sorry, Papa.”

“I’m sorry too, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have gotten so angry.”

She nodded. “Why did you send Aunt Sansa away though?”

Jon pursed his lips and thought for a moment. “Your Aunt Sansa loves you very much. If I thought she was coming here because she loved you of course I would have let you see her. But she wasn’t coming here because she loves you, she was coming here because she hates your mother. She was only here to hurt us.”

Rhaella chewed her lip and nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.” He pulled up her comforter and blew out the candle. 

“Goodnight, Rhaella. I love you.”

“Goodnight, Papa. I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot damn, Jonny boy! Looks like Sansa woke the dragon- we’re finally seeing that Jon is actually a dragon. I know he could definitely have taken more definitive actions- execution comes to mind- but he doesn’t want to start another war. More on him finally getting over his status as a Stark lapdog will come later. I also wanted to show that Jon is capable of disciplining Rhaella. Strict dad Jon will indeed come out more in future chapters.
> 
> Also in regard to Arya and why no one has hunted her down and killed her yet: Arya is off travelling and no one knows where. Neither Jon nor Daenerys want to leave their children to go hunt down Arya Stark, who is somewhere west of Westeros, or maybe east of Westeros, she could even be in Westeros. No one really knows where she is. Daenerys could maybe have asked the Ironborn to go on a quest to find her, but they’re kind of busy doing their own thing. Both Jon and Daenerys aren’t thinking pleasant thoughts about how they should deal with Arya, but at this point neither of them have a plan to get her that they’re capable of executing without leaving their children for a significant amount of time. Yes, Daenerys did leave to go take on the Masters. They were a pressing threat and they were a threat she knew she could defeat. Arya Stark is a wild goose chase at this point. 
> 
> Also, does anyone have any ideas for wholesome medieval activities Daenerys can do with her kids? So far I have riding horses and visiting Drogon. Anyone have any better ideas? (This isn’t a promise that there will be wholesome Daenerys moments. I promise nothing. I’ve got to maintain some mystery, don’t I?)


	10. Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys returns and speaks with Jon.

The weeks passed quickly and without further interruption from Jon’s family. By the end of the first week Aemon was doing much better with a sword and Rhaella stopped having to go so easy on him, though she was still nice and let him win sometimes. Jon told them stories every night and eventually he gave up on trying to get them to sleep in their own beds, as they started begging to join him in his. 

When Daenerys returned she found both her children happily sparring in the yard, much to her dismay. When she had left Aemon had been firmly on her side, but now it was clear that he loved his father as well.

She had landed on the cliffs, and rushed back to the castle, eager to see her children after a week away. She soon found them in the yard, and was terrified to see her children fighting with swords. Aemon had never been taught to fight. She thought he was far too young and it was far too dangerous. 

When he saw his mother Aemon dropped his sword, and Rhaella took the opportunity to hit him in the thigh. He glared at her for a moment, then ran towards his mother and wrapped her in a hug. She smiled, holding him tight. Rhaella saw her and scowled, turning away, but Jon clicked his tongue and gave her a stern look, tilting his head towards Daenerys. 

Rhaella sighed and rolled her eyes, but walked over to her mother. Daenerys broke her embrace with Aemon to reach for Rhaella, but she stepped back and frowned. “I trust your journey was pleasant.”

“Yes, it was.” She uncomfortably clasped her hands in front of her. 

“I’m glad you’re safe.” Rhaella stated, though her words were hollow. “Thank you for leaving me with Papa.” She said, and she sounded genuinely grateful.

“Muña, we had such a great time! Kepa took me hunting, and he’s teaching me how to fight! And tonight he’s going to tell us about the time Arya ran away from home, but only for a few days.”

“He is, is he?”

Aemon nodded eagerly and Daenerys forced a smile. “I can’t wait to hear all about your time here while I was gone. I missed you so much.” She leaned down to kiss his head and he happily hugged her again.

“Is it okay if we keep practising?” Rhaella asked, hoping her mother wouldn’t say no.

“Rhaella, I’m sure Muña wants to catch up. She missed you and Aemon a lot. We can keep training later.” Daenerys saw a flash of disappointment on her daughter’s face for a moment and her heart broke. She had hoped Rhaella would miss her a little bit.

“It’s alright, Rhaella. I missed you a lot, but I’m tired from my journey. I’ll see you at dinner tonight, okay?”

“Can I come with you, Muña?” Aemon asked, still standing close to her. 

“Of course, sweetling.” Daenerys reached down and squeezed his shoulder. 

“Will Papa be joining us for dinner?” Rhaella piped up.

Jon stepped forward. “I’m sure your mother would like some alone time with you. We’ve been eating together for a while now, you won’t miss me for one dinner.”

Rhaella pouted and now it was Aemon that spoke. “Kepa can still tell us a story before bed tonight, right Muña?”

Daenerys gave him a pained smile and nodded before the pair returned to the castle. 

* * *

After dinner she told Rhaella and Aemon they could go play. Aemon had spent the afternoon with her but she was still a little surprised when he left with Rhaella. Later when she went to check on the children she was worried when she saw they weren’t in their beds, but quickly found them in Jon’s. She listened quietly at the door until the story was over. “Kepa, can we sleep with you again tonight?”

Daenerys thought she was going to cry. Aemon hadn’t asked to sleep with her for at least a year. “No, I think it’s best you sleep in your own bed tonight.”

Aemon sighed, disappointed. 

“We can still come to you if we have nightmares, right?” Rhaella asked.

“Yes, or you can go to Muña.” Jon kept his tone light.

“Okay.” Daenerys ducked around the corner as Jon walked them back to their rooms. After they had gone she went into his room, sitting on his bed and waiting for him. It saddened her that his room smelled faintly of their children. 

When he entered his room and saw her his eyes widened and he froze. 

“I hope you’re happy.” She was starting to fail at holding back her tears, but she could not let him see her cry. 

“Daenerys, I-” 

“It sounds like Aemon had the best few weeks of his life. I don’t know how, but I think Rhaella hates me even more. And I can’t even be mad at you because they’re so happy. I don’t think I’ve ever made them that happy, Jon.” She stood and started towards him, ready to slap him out of anger that she had no right to have.

Her steps faltered as tears began to cloud her vision. Suddenly she felt his arms wrap around her, and she returned the embrace, sobbing into his shoulder. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

She sobbed even harder, losing all control. He had hurt her, not only when he killed her, but now that he had turned her children against her. “You’re their mother, Dany. Of course they love you.”

“No, they don’t. I’m a horrible mother.” He held her tighter. “No, you’re not. You’re amazing. Shh, it’s okay.”

He waited a moment before continuing, his voice breaking a little bit, too. “Aemon adores you. All week he kept telling me I was doing things wrong, and that you did them a different, better way. He missed you so much. And Rhaella never had a mother. I know it’s taking her some time, but I’m so happy you’re back in her life. If I could go back and do everything over I would make sure she grew up with you. You’re a great mother, she just isn’t used to you yet.”

She shook her head and nuzzled deeper into his shoulder. “No. She hates me. She hates me for Kings Landing. Hates me for locking you up. She hates everything I do.”

“She just needs time, Dany. Our daughter is stubborn, much like her mother. But once she really gets to know you I know she’s going to love you more than me.”

She shook her head and Jon sighed. “Yes, she will. I promise. I know deep down she’s always wanted a mother, it’s just going to take time.”

After another moment she suddenly pulled back, wiping her eyes. Jon gave her a sympathetic smile, and she saw that he had been crying as well. She started to leave, but Jon turned to call after her.

“I trust your visit to the Bay of Dragons went well?”

She didn’t turn back, but replied. “Yes. The Masters have been defeated. They will send no more assassins and the slave trade will not return. Not as long as I’m alive.”

“Good. This means you can braid your hair again, right?”

She turned back to him, brow furrowed in slight amusement. “If I remember correctly, Jon Snow, you always preferred my hair down.”

He gave her a smug look. “My name is Jaehaerys. And I always thought your braids were pretty, though I did much prefer when it was me that got to unravel them.” 

She started to think of a witty retort, but then a sharp pain in her chest reminded her that this was wrong. “Goodnight, Jaehaerys.”

“Goodnight, Daenerys. I promise she’ll come around. She just needs time.” He gave her a small smile that she returned before she left.

* * *

Jon woke up screaming with tears on his face. Daenerys was standing over him and had just shaken him awake. 

He shot up in bed, eyes wide at seeing her. “Dany? Are you real?”

She nodded tentatively, taking a small step back as he stepped out of his bed and wrapped her in a hug. “Dany, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to. I never wanted to. I’m so sorry, Dany. I love you. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to.”

She realized he was talking about her murder. She had never seen him like this; he had always been firm in the belief he was right to kill her. Not knowing how else to respond, she tried to calm him down. “Shhh, it’s alright, it’s okay. I’m safe now. I’m okay.”

“I didn’t want to. You killed them. You killed all of them. You killed children.” He was sobbing into her hair, his whole body shuddering. “I didn’t have a choice, Dany. I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Shh, it’s alright. Calm down. It’s over now, Jon. I’m okay. You’re okay.” She tried to pull back but he held her tightly, terrified to let go. “Shh, it’s okay. Let me look at you, okay?”

He slowly pulled back and when she finally looked into his eyes she saw pure terror. Tears were streaming down his face as he sobbed. She brought a hand to his face to try and wipe them away. “I need you to take some deep breaths, okay?”

He nodded as she verbalized his breathing for him. “In and out, okay? Just like that. In and out.”

Slowly he calmed down, stepping back from her when he did so. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He sat back down on the bed and to his surprise she sat next to him and she rested her head on his shoulder and started to gently rub his back, like he did for their daughter. He wrapped an arm around her as well. They sat in silence for a moment before she spoke. “The throne room?”

“Aye. First the attack, the burning, and then…” 

She saw a few more of his tears falling and moved to wipe them away, bringing his eyes back to hers. “I dream of it, too.”

“I wish…” he trailed off, trying to find the words.

“That I had never done it?” He nodded, tearing his eyes away from hers.

She started rubbing his back again and the two sat in silence before he spoke again. 

“I know it was the right thing to do. After what you had done… Everyone always tells me it was right, and I believe them. But it doesn’t feel right. It never felt right. I never wanted to.”

She bit her lip. He had only ever blamed her for her death, never himself. He had never shown regret before. “I wish I hadn’t given you a reason to.”

He turned back to her, disbelief in his face as she continued.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you. Not really. But I understand why you felt you had to. I wish you hadn’t, but I know why you did.”

Not knowing how else to respond, he wrapped his arms around her. She returned the embrace as he placed a kiss to her forehead.

“I loved you. I trusted you.” she whispered into his chest, letting a few tears of her own fall. 

“I still love you. I never stopped. I wanted to hate you after you burned them. I know I should have. But I can’t help it. I love you.”

She pulled back and looked in his eyes. “I hated you. After what you did. When I came back I wanted to fly here with Drogon and burn everything to the ground again. Burn you. Then you gave me our children and I realized I couldn’t hate their father. And now I see how you’ve raised Rhaella to be such a strong person and how you treat Aemon so well. I don’t know how to feel about you anymore.”

He kissed her forehead again, letting his rest on hers afterward. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed you. How hard it was before Rhaella. All I could do was think of you, wish I could go back and tell you how much I loved you. Go back and claim who I was and be with you. I wish I could have changed all of it. When I got Rhaella it got better because I wasn’t so alone, but then I started seeing you in her and it got so much harder. You don’t know how many times I’ve wished you could be in her life.”

She smiled, then pulled back, staring into his eyes longingly and biting her lip before making up her mind. “I should go.”

Sorrow replaced the hope in his eyes and he nodded. She stood and smoothed her dress, starting for the door before turning back. “Jo- Jaehaerys? I’m here if you have another nightmare. You aren’t alone.”

“Thank you.” With that she left, and he tried to get back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know initially a lot of the praise this story received is because Jon and Daenerys were both defending their actions and not immediately caving. I think from every other interaction we’ve seen between Jon and Daenerys up to this point that Jon believes she had to die after King’s Landing; he believed she couldn’t continue. That doesn’t mean he ever wanted to put a dagger in her heart. I don’t want Jon to not have a backbone, but I think he would have nightmares over it. I’m potentially too dependent on nightmares, but I think that they’d all realistically be having them and that they’re excellent ways to initiate sudden emotional revelations. Finally, some progress and coping between Jon and Daenerys! Let’s have him kiss her on the mouth instead of the forehead next time, okay?


	11. Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaella attempts to make amends.

“Rhaella?” He knocked on her door just as she was heading down for breakfast. 

“Yes, Papa?”

He came in and closed the door behind him, taking a seat on the edge of her bed while she was brushing her hair at her desk. “You and I need to talk.”

“About what?” She turned to face him, worried by his tone.

“Your mother. I’m sick and tired of how you treat her. I thought you’d just need time to get to know her, but you aren’t trying to get to know her. You’re only listening to what your aunts and uncle told you and you’re not listening to her at all.”

“But Daenerys-”

“I’m not finished. And stop calling her Daenerys. She’s your mother and from now on you’re going to call her Muña, do you understand?”

She nodded, eyes downcast as he continued. 

“She has been nothing but patient with you, Rhaella. She loves you and Aemon more than anything in the world and all you’ve done is talk back to her and treat her horribly. I know she burned King’s Landing. I know that. I know you hate her for that. But that’s not all she is. She isn’t only the woman that slaughtered a city. She also freed all of the slaves across the Narrow Sea. She fought alongside me in the Long Night. And she gave birth to you.”

“I know-”

“You don’t know. If you knew then you wouldn’t treat her like you have been. I don’t understand why it’s taking you so long to realize how horrible you’ve been and how patient she has been with you, but I’m done waiting for you to. Today after your lessons you’re going to go to her solar and apologize to her.”

“But-”

“No. No buts. You’re going to apologize to her and you’re going to actually start treating her like your mother. Until you do I’m not going to let you train anymore. Am I understood?”

She nodded. 

“Good. Now let’s go have breakfast.”

* * *

After breakfast Jon told Daenerys he needed to talk to her and followed her to her solar. 

“What is it?” she asked after they were seated and the door was closed. 

“While you were gone there was a visitor. Sansa Stark.”

Her mood darkened and fire flashed in her eyes. “Sansa Stark?”

He nodded nervously. “The children and I received her and we spoke briefly before I told her to leave.”

“She saw my children?”

“Only for a few moments.”

She stood up and started pacing. 

“You let that bitch near my children?”

“I didn’t know what she wanted, she’s Rhaella’s aunt-”

“She’s your cousin, not your sister. Of course I know you’d like to forget that. I know you’re still loyal to House Stark.”

He shook his head and stood up. “If I was loyal to the Starks I wouldn’t have turned her away.”

“If you were loyal to me you would never have let her near my children. You would have executed her.”

“You want to start another war? You want our children to have to endure a war? You didn’t want me to put a sword in Aemon’s hand, yet you’d let him see war?”

“What happened to delivering fire and blood to our enemies?”

“They don’t have to be our enemies!”

“Sansa committed treason against us. Brandon usurped our throne. And Arya tore our family apart. They’re not our enemies?”

He slumped back into his chair and put his head in his hands. “I don’t want a war, Daenerys. If it comes to one, know that I am loyal to our house. I will never fight against you again.”

She shook her head and walked over to him to stare into his eyes. “If I ever find out you let my children near the Starks again I will not hesitate to execute you. And let it be known that if I ever come across another Stark they will be executed as well. Get out of my sight.”

“Daenerys-”

“Get out of my sight!”

* * *

Rhaella finished her lessons early that day, and Jon told Aemon he should train with him so he wouldn’t get too used to just fighting Rhaella. After her lessons she walked up to her mother’s solar, hesitating with every step. Finally she arrived at the door, and she forced herself to knock.

“Yes?” Her mother’s voice rang out clear and cold. Rhaella nervously opened the door, and Daenerys instantly softened at seeing her, though some fear crept into her. 

“Rhaella? Is everything alright?”

Rhaella nodded and shut the door, then took a few steps forward before staring at her feet and forcing out what she had prepared. “I’m sorry I’ve been so mean. You’ve only ever been nice to me and I haven’t been a good daughter.” 

She looked up to see an astonished expression on her mother’s face. She ducked her head again and continued. “I still don’t forgive you for killing all those people. But I know you won’t hurt anyone again and so I’m going to try not to be so mad all the time. I’m sorry.”

Daenerys took a few tentative steps forward, and Rhaella decided to give in and let her mother hug her. Daenerys held her daughter tightly, a few tears of joy falling from her face.

“Thank you, sweetling. It’s okay that you’ve been angry with me, I hate myself for what I did, too.” Rhaella wrapped her mother in a hug as well, giving in to the embrace. “I love you, Rhaella. I love you and your brother more than anything in the world.”

Eventually Rhaella broke the embrace. “Am I interrupting you?”

“No, not at all!”

Rhaella moved to peer at her mother’s desk. “What were you doing?”

Daenerys moved back to rifle through some papers. “I was just writing to the Lord of Driftmark, who is requesting a new Maester because he seems to have taken issue with the old one, for a reason I can’t decipher.”

Rhaella circled around to look over the letter with her mother. “Oh, Lord Velaryon? He’s silly, he just gets jealous of the Maester because his sons aren’t very good at fighting or sailing and would rather stay inside and practice their lessons.”

“Hmm.” Daenerys absent-mindedly stroked Rhaella’s hair, then caught herself, though her daughter didn’t seem to mind. “What should I tell him?”

Rhaella thought for a moment. “You should tell him that we’ll foster his sons so Maester Owyn can teach them, and since he’s good enough for us Lord Velaryon can’t complain about him.”

“You want the Velaryon boys to live here?” Daenerys asked. She hadn’t considered that Rhaella might be missing life in court, though every time she asked her to attend Rhaella showed no interest.

“Gods, no! They’re no fun to play with and like I said, they can’t fight worth anything. Lord Velaryon won’t take you up on your offer, but he won’t be able to complain about his Maester anymore, either.”

Daenerys considered it for a moment, then smiled down at Rhaella and finished her letter while her daughter watched. When that reply was completed Rhaella’s eyes drifted to the pile of parchment on her mother’s desk. “Who else do you need to respond to?”

The two spent the rest of the afternoon replying to letters and overseeing castle affairs. Daenerys was thrilled she didn’t have to do it alone, and she was overjoyed that her daughter wanted to spend time with her. Rhaella actually liked to help Dragonstone’s vassals, and she found she didn’t mind spending time with Daenerys as much as she thought she would. 

After dinner that night Jon told his children a story and returned to Rhaella’s room after seeing Aemon to bed. “How did things go with Muña?”

Rhaella shrugged.

Jon cocked an eyebrow. “You were nice to her this afternoon, weren’t you?”

She nodded. 

“Was it so terrible to be nice to her?”

She sighed. “I guess not.”

Jon bent down to kiss her forehead. “I’m proud of you. I know you don’t like her very much right now, but I promise you’re going to. You just have to give her a chance, okay?”

“Okay, Papa. Goodnight. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Goodnight, Rhaella.”

* * *

She woke up screaming and crying with Daenerys sitting next to her. She could hear her mother telling a guard to get her father, but even with the knowledge that he was on his way she was still panicked by the sight of Daenerys. Her mother sat quietly with her as they waited for her father, worrying that trying to speak to Rhaella would make it worse.

“Rhaella?” Jon finally made it to her room and quickly made it to the edge of the bed. Rhaella instantly moved to hold him. Daenerys got up to leave but Jon grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. “No, stay.”

She awkwardly sat back down and wrung her hands. It was torture knowing that her actions were what was hurting her daughter. Jon started speaking.

“What happened in your dream, sweetheart?”

Rhaella tried to calm down and wipe away her tears. “I was in King’s Landing, in Flea Bottom. You and I were buying bread for lunch and then- and then- and then there was fire everywhere. The buildings were exploding and I saw you burn in front of me. Then I burned.”

A few tears began to fall down Daenerys’ face. Jon spoke. “Daenerys, would you ever burn King’s Landing again?”

“No.” Her answer was fast and definite. Rhaella seemed to start to calm down a little more so Daenerys continued. “No, I will never burn innocent people again. And I will never hurt you, Rhaella. No harm will ever come to you while I’m here.”

She tentatively reached out to stroke Rhaella’s hair while Jon continued to rub her daughter’s back.

“Why did you do it?” Rhaella asked. 

Daenerys took a deep breath. “I would never do it again. At the time I thought I had to scare Westeros to show that no one could attack me ever again. That no one could ever attack you. I wanted people to fear me. But I never wanted you to fear me.”

Jon started talking when Daenerys seemed to be done. “Rhaella, when your mother attacked King’s Landing she had just lost all of her advisors. All of her friends had been murdered. She was all alone. I abandoned her. She was alone and afraid and she wanted to make sure that you would be safe.”

“But you killed her.” Rhaella had always been confused about why her father regretted it, but had always sided with everyone that told her what he did was right. Now that she was hearing it from both parents she didn’t know how to feel. 

Daenerys continued, having heard Jon defend his actions over and over to her. “Papa felt like he had to. He thought I would be dangerous and that I would hurt more people. He didn’t know I was trying to protect you.”

Rhaella shook her head. “But you would have hurt more people, wouldn’t you have?”

“I don’t know, sweetling.” Daenerys tried not to think about it. She tried to never think about the burning. “I’m happy I couldn’t hurt more people after King’s Landing. I’m happy I’ll never hurt anyone innocent again.”

“Rhaella, Muña was trying to protect you and protect our house. What she did was wrong, but at the time she didn’t know what else to do. Everyone wanted her dead, especially your aunts. I killed her to protect the realm, but I wish I hadn’t had to.”

Rhaella nodded and wiped away the last of her tears. “Can you stay with me?”

Jon nodded. “Of course, sweetheart.”

Rhaella shook her head. “No, I want Muña to stay with me.”

Daenerys was at a loss for words. Jon gave her a small smile and an expectant nod. 

“Of course Muña will stay with you. I’m just down the hall if you need anything, alright?”

Rhaella nodded and climbed back into bed, pulling the sheets down so Daenerys could join her. Daenerys stroked her hair and Rhaella nestled into her chest. They sat quietly for a few moments before Rhaella spoke. “Can you tell me about them?”

“Who?”

“All the advisors you lost.”

Daenerys nodded, knowing she was going to have to try not to cry. She never liked to talk about her past, but she was realizing Rhaella and Aemon needed to hear about it.

“There was a knight that served me from before I was first married-”

“Papa told me you were married but he doesn’t know very much about it. Who were you married to?”

Daenerys swallowed and tried to find the words to describe Drogo. “Have you learned about the Dothraki?”

Rhaella nodded. “Papa said they used to follow you.”

“They did. I was married to one of their khals-”

“What’s a khal?”

“A khal is like a king. I was married to the greatest khal of them all. I married him when I was very young and it was very hard at first. But eventually I grew to love him. I got pregnant with his son, Rhaego.”

“What happened to Rhaego?”

Daenerys started crying. Rhaella saw and reached up to wipe her tears away. “I’m sorry, Muña. You don’t have to tell me.”

“It’s alright, sweetling. It’s good to talk about it. One day Drogo got a wound. I asked a witch to heal him and she did a spell. Instead of saving Drogo she hurt him. He died and so did my baby. The witch told me I couldn’t have children after that.”

Rhaella furrowed her brow. “But you had Aemon and me.”

“I did. And before you I had three other children.”

“Who?”

“My dragons.”

Rhaella let out a small laugh. “Dragons aren’t children!”

Daenerys smiled down at her. “They were to me. When I burned Drogo I put the eggs in the fire and walked into it-”

“You walked into fire?”

Daenerys nodded. 

“Did it hurt?”

“No. And when the fire died down my dragons had been born. They were my children. I thought they were the only children I’d ever have.”

“I’m sorry they died.”

Daenerys let a few more tears fall and shook her head. “It’s okay, sweetling. It’s okay. I have you and your brother now.”

Rhaella nestled closer to her mother. “Muña, I’m tired. Can you tell me more tomorrow?”

Daenerys kissed her head. “Of course, sweetling. Goodnight. I love you.”

“Goodnight, Muña.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was sudden. I hope Rhaella’s and Daenerys’ relationship isn’t changing too quickly; Rhaella has hated her for a long time and I think it’s a tad unrealistic for her to suddenly give up all that hate, but she kind of needed a figurative slap in the face from Jon. Kid is stubborn as all hell. But she has spent a few months with her mother now and she’s seen how Aemon and Jon feel about her and is starting to question everything everyone (the Starks) always told her about her mother.
> 
> I also had Jon do it because I want him driving a lot of the action that's going to bring them closer as a family. After being awful in season eight he has to prove himself to Daenerys again. That's why he needed to give Aemon a father, why he needed to yell at Rhaella to give her mother a chance, and why he's going to be doing some more damage control later on. I'm having Jon propell all this action so he has a chance to redeem himself.
> 
> Warning: Daenerys fans are going to like the first part of the next chapter and then probably hate me more than ever. But I promise you’ll like the first part. And I promise it gets better again in chapter fifteen. So if you're on the edge with this story maybe consider waiting until chapter fifteen is out before you read both chapters and decide if you should ditch it.
> 
> Important question: Who still really hates Rhaella? Who is now indifferent towards Rhaella? Who never hated Rhaella? Let me know how much harder I have to work at making her likeable. She'll never be Aemon, but I'll settle for not Joffery at this point.


	12. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aemon learns about his mother's past.

He knocked on the door of her solar after breakfast, entering when she bid him to. When she saw it was him all happiness instantly left her face. “What?”

Jon cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter. “I’d like your permission to step away for a few days.”

She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a distrusting look. “Why?”

“I’ve heard something… I don’t want to tell you unless I know it’s true.”

“Let me guess, you’re going to go meet with your siblings?”

He clenched his jaw. “If I find who I’m hoping to I’ll have a corpse to lay at your feet in a week.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Who?”

He gave her a small smile. “It’s a surprise.”

She huffed and leaned back in her chair. “You expect me to give you a ship and some of my men to hunt down and kill someone and you can’t tell me because it’s a surprise?”

He nodded, serious. She took a deep breath and considered it. “I suppose it would be nice to have some time with the children.”

“I promise you’ll be pleased if I succeed.”

“And if you fail?”

“Then you’ll have spent a week with the children without me.”

She considered it again. “How many men would you need?”

“Twenty.”

“Only twenty?”

“It’s going to be a short voyage. And I’ll be taking the smallest ship we have.”

She sighed and sat back up in her chair. “I’ll allow it.”

He nodded and moved to leave.

“When will you leave?”

“I’ll tell the children tonight, then leave tomorrow. If that’s alright with you.”

She nodded and he left.

* * *

After they saw Jon off at shore, Daenerys asked if they had ever seen the dragonglass caves. Aemon hadn’t, though Rhaella had. She still seemed a little apprehensive to spend time with Daenerys, but her mother encouraged her. “You can lead the way, Rhaella. I haven’t been in them in years, and Aemon’s never been. Come with us and make sure we don’t get lost, okay?”

Rhaella reluctantly agreed. The caves weren’t quite as Daenerys remembered them; Jon and his men had taken a considerable amount of dragonglass north when they had gone to fight the Night King. The caves were still fascinating to explore, and Daenerys and the children had a good time walking around them for a few hours, though there were a few times where Aemon was positive they were lost. 

After they left the caves they returned to the castle for lunch. 

“Can we eat in the kitchens, Muña?” Aemon asked.

“Are the servants alright with us joining them? I wouldn’t want us to be a bother.” Daenerys had no problem helping in the kitchens, she just worried that two nine year olds might get in the way. 

“Papa and I used to eat with them most days.” Rhaella responded, hoping her mother would say yes.

“Well as long as they don’t mind us joining them I don’t see why we shouldn’t.” The three made their way down to the kitchens. The servants were a little hesitant at seeing Daenerys at first. 

“Is there something wrong, your Grace?” The head chef asked nervously. 

Daenerys shook her head. “My children tell me that they’ve been eating down here?”

“Yes, your Grace. Lord Targaryen has always said it’s alright, but if you want them to stop-”

“No, actually I was wondering if it would be alright if we joined you?” Rhaella and Aemon had already run off to join their friends at the servant’s dining table, but Daenerys still waited to be certain it was alright with the servants. 

“Of course, your Grace. What can we do for you? We were going to prepare some fish for lunch with some bread-”

“That sounds lovely. Let me know if I can help at all. I don’t know too much about cooking but I have made bread before.”

One of the assistant cooks gave her a smile. “Lord Targaryen is rubbish at cooking. Sometimes he offers to peel potatoes, but he usually manages to cut himself, leave half the skins on, or cut away too much. You can’t be any worse than him!”

All of the servants laughed and she smiled as well, then went to join her children. Rhaella clearly wasn’t thrilled Jon was gone, but she had stopped ignoring Daenerys or giving her death stares, so her mother gladly accepted the polite conversation her daughter offered. 

Aemon was thrilled his mother was back and tried to introduce her to all of his friends, though he didn’t understand why they all were intimidated by her. Rhaella figured it was because of King’s Landing, and she made a mental note that the next time she visited without Aemon she needed to explain to their friends that Daenerys wasn’t really evil. She was doing her best to listen to her father and not tell her brother about King’s Landing until her mother wanted to.

After lunch Aemon asked if they could go train and Daenerys agreed, asking if she could watch. Not wanting her mother to simply sit around and watch, Rhaella suggested they all practice archery. 

“Muña, it’s really not too hard. It can seem tough at first but then it’s easy when you learn how to aim.” Aemon proudly stated. Daenerys hesitantly grabbed the bow Rhaella offered. Aemon excitedly told her what to do, but spoke very quickly and out of order, so Daenerys became quite confused.

After a few failed attempts Rhaella stepped in. “Aemon, you should go shoot at that target so Muña can see your form. I’ll try and explain it to her, okay?”

Aemon nodded eagerly and went to shoot a few targets down so Daenerys could get a good view. She watched him fire a few arrows and was impressed by his accuracy. 

“Are you paying attention?” Rhaella asked. “Do you see how he’s holding the bow like this,” she demonstrated, “then he’s closing his left eye so he can get a better view of the arrow.”

“Like this?” Daenerys asked, trying to mirror her son's stance. 

Rhaella nodded. “That’s good. Now relax your bow arm.”

“Which arm is my bow arm?”

“The one holding the bow.” She reached out to gently move her mother’s arm to better align it. “Good. Now aim, and when you let go do your best to keep your bow arm as straight as possible.”

Daenerys listened and took a deep breath before firing her arrow. It landed on the very edge of the target. 

Aemon ran over right away. “Muña, that was great!”

“Rhaella helped.” She smiled down at her daugher.

Rhaella rolled her eyes but smiled. “That was better. You still have a long way to go. Let’s do it again.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon shooting arrows. By the end of the day Daenerys was incredibly sore but she was a much better shot. 

“Do you want to do that again tomorrow?” Rhaella asked. She and her brother were both excited that Daenerys had done so well. 

“Maybe I’ll watch you and your brother spar tomorrow. I’m a little sore.”

Rhaella nodded, a little disappointed. She didn’t want her mother to feel left out. “Or maybe Aemon and I could help you with some castle affairs tomorrow?”

Daenerys gave her a big smile and nodded. “That would be wonderful, sweetling.”

“Okay, but after our lessons.” Aemon said. “Tomorrow we’re going to talk about food stores and those are really important.”

Rhaella and Daenerys laughed and Aemon became offended. “What? They are!”

That only made them laugh more. “You’ll both see! Someday there might be a supply shortage or something and I’m going to get us through it!”

Daenerys squeezed his shoulder. “I know you will, Aemon. I’m so proud of how hard you’ve been studying.”

“Does this mean he can study for me so I don’t have to anymore?” Rhaella asked with a grin.

“No.” Daenerys responded seriously, then broke out into a smile again. “Now, should we go back to the kitchens for dinner?”

They both nodded and went down to eat with the servants again, who were slightly less nervous to see Daenerys for a second time, especially because she insisted on helping them with the bread and they found she was actually a good cook. 

After dinner Rhaella called her mother and Aemon into her room. “What story do you want to hear tonight?”

Aemon thought for a few moments. “Do you know any about when Kepa was in the Night’s Watch? Those are my favorites.”

“How about the time Kepa climbed the Wall?”

Daenerys nervously interrupted. “Or maybe I could tell you about how I became Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea?”

Aemon and Rhaella both thought for a moment before Rhaella spoke. “I want to hear that one instead.”

“Okay Ella, but tomorrow can you tell me the one about Kepa climbing the Wall? That one sounds scary.”

Daenerys laughed. “I was scared when I became Khaleesi, too.”

“Why?” Aemon asked.

“Well, you both know about the Dothraki, right?” They both nodded and she continued. 

“It was my first time ever flying on Drogon, and he dropped me off in the middle of nowhere. Then suddenly I was surrounded by Dothraki.”

“Did Drogon protect you?” Aemon asked.

Daenerys shook her head. “No, I was all alone. They captured me and took me back to all of the Khals.”

“That means king, right? Khal?” Rhaella confirmed. 

“Yes, that’s right. And khaleesi means queen. So they took me back to the Khals, and the Khals told me I had to live with the other widows and live out the rest of my days there as a prisoner.”

“How did you escape?” Rhaella asked.

“Well, the Khals let me meet with them in the temple. I had two of my friends bar the doors behind me, so no one could escape. Then when I was inside I threw the braziers onto the ground and started the temple on fire. All of the Khals tried to escape, but they were trapped.”

“But how did you escape?” Rhaella asked again, entranced.

“I didn’t have to.”

“But you would have been burned alive!”

Daenerys smiled and shook her head. Rhaella furrowed her brow when Daenerys got up and crossed over to a candle, letting the flames wrap around her hand. Rhaella’s jaw dropped as she saw no harm come to her mother. After a few moments Daenerys returned and showed Rhaella her unburned hand.

“That’s why people used to call her the Unburnt.” Aemon explained. Rhaella was too shocked to speak. Daenerys laughed and continued her story.

“So everything burned down around me, but then when the doors finally burned away I was left standing. After that all the Dothraki kneeled and vowed to serve me.”

“Wow.” Rhaella said in disbelief. Daenerys smiled at her.

“Okay, I think it’s time for bed. Come on, Aemon. I’ll be back to tuck you in in a minute, okay sweetling?” Rhaella nodded and waited for her mother to return. When she did she pulled the covers up to Rhaella’s chin and kissed her forehead. 

“I’m just in the next room if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay. Goodnight, Muña.”

“I love you. Goodnight, sweetling.” 

* * *

A few days after Jon left Daenerys decided it was time to tell her children about her past. She sat them down after lunch and began with her childhood, explaining how she and her brother had run from assassins for her entire life. 

“Just like we did, right Muña?” Aemon asked. She nodded and continued. She told them about Drogo, about Rhaego, about how her other children were born. She told them about how she gained the allegiance of the Unsullied, how she freed them and how she met Grey Worm and Missandei. She told them who they were and who Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan were. She decided to leave out Daario, seeing as it’s hard to explain casual sex to a pair of nine year olds. 

She told them about how she freed the slaves in Slaver’s Bay and about how hard it was to hear that it had fallen back into slavery after her death. Rhaella stopped her to ask a question.

“How could you have done it? How could you have burned King’s Landing after doing all that good across the Narrow Sea? Why did you turn on your own people when you worked so hard to save the others?” Her voice held nothing but disbelief. She didn’t recognize the woman in front of her anymore. Gone was the murderer she had known about growing up and in her place was the woman Jon had always told her stories about. Stories she had assumed couldn’t possibly be true.

“When I burned King’s Landing-” Daenerys began.

“What?” Aemon asked, horror in his eyes. “Everything Ella said isn’t true, is it?”

Daenerys swallowed and nodded shamefully. “Aemon, I know-”

“No. No. No. No. Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me you’re lying. No. You would never burn children. You couldn’t. No.”

“Aemon, I did. I burned King’s Landing and-”

“NO! NO!” He started sobbing and ran from the room.

“Aemon! I-” Daenerys started to call after him before slumping back in her seat, tears coming to her eyes. 

Rhaella was shocked and ashamed. When she first met Aemon she had done nothing but tell him his mother was a murderer, but he had never believed her. “Muña, I- I didn’t mean to- I’m so sorry, I-”

Daenerys moved to comfort her daughter. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

“I never should have told him-”

Daenerys shook her head. “He needed to know. I never should have kept it from him.”

Rhaella shook her head as well. “I thought you were a monster. I never should have told him.”

“It’s not your fault, sweetling. I never should have done it. Then neither of you would hate me.”

Rhaella pulled back and stared at her mother. “I don’t hate you.”

Daenerys wiped away a tear. “You don’t?”

Rhaella shook her head. “I used to, but I don’t anymore. And I know Aemon could never hate you. Can I go talk to him?”

Daenerys nodded and Rhaella left. 

* * *

“Aemon?” Rhaella found him crying in the library behind the history section. 

Upon seeing his sister Aemon wrapped her in a hug and she did her best to calm him down. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay, Aemon. It’s over now, it’s in the past. It’s okay.”

He shook his head and held her tighter. “It’s not okay. She hurt people, Ella. She hurt innocent people.”

Rhaella sighed. “I know, Aemon. I know. But that’s in the past. That’s not who she is.”

Aemon shook his head again. “How could she do it? How could Muña ever hurt anyone?”

Rhaella pulled back and tried to wipe away his tears, though he was still crying. “Everybody hurts people, Aemon. They were at war. Papa used to have to kill people.”

“Kepa hurt soldiers, not families. Not children.”

Rhaella sighed and furrowed her brow. “I know, but-”

“She killed children.” Aemon couldn’t stop sobbing. “How could she?”

Rhaella hugged him again. “You need to talk to her more about it. I don’t think she’d ever do it again. I think she made a mistake. She’s not the kind of person that would burn children. She freed the slaves, remember? She protected everyone.”

“But then she killed everyone. She burned kids.”

She pulled back. “Aemon-”

“Leave me alone. I just want to think about things for a little while.”

Rhaella nodded and left him for a moment to rifle through some books, then returned. 

“Aemon?”

“I said I want to be alone.”

She nodded and quietly approached him. “I’ll leave you alone, but I thought you might want to read this. It’s a history of the Long Night. The last part talks about what Papa did and how Muña saved the North. Papa used to read it to me before bed sometimes. Aunt Arya and Aunt Sansa always said that Aunt Arya was the one that saved the North, but Muña helped a lot. She did a lot of good things before King’s Landing. You should read it.”

With that she left. Aemon cried for a while after that, but eventually the book started to tempt him and he began reading. 

* * *

At dinner that night Aemon was still clearly upset with his mother, but Rhaella tried to engage her in conversation, though there were several long lulls. After supper Daenerys told them they could go play in the kitchens again, but that they couldn’t stay too long because they needed to get to bed at a reasonable hour. 

When she eventually heard the children come up to bed she waited to check on them, but then heard voices in Aemon’s room. She went to his door to listen in. 

“Aemon, you can’t be mad at her forever.” Rhaella sounded annoyed. 

“But she hurt people, Ella! She killed people! You said so yourself.”

Rhaella sighed. “I know, Aemon. But Papa always says that she only did it because bad men hurt her. I’m mad at her, too, but Papa says we shouldn’t be and he’s always right.”

“What if she gets mad and does it again?”

“Aemon, don’t be ridiculous. You know her, Muña isn’t going to hurt anyone again.”

“But-”

“Aemon, she has spent your whole life loving you and protecting you. Besides, don’t you like her dragon?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“This is stupid. She’s not going to hurt anyone else, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now, do you want me to tell you a story? I’m not as good as Muña or Papa but I can tell you about the time Uncle Tormund and Papa saved me from a bear.”

“The bear isn’t going to turn out to be Great-Uncle Eddard, is it?”

“No silly, he’s not here anymore. So, we were up out beyond the wall, and I had to go and gather firewood.”

Daenerys listened with a small smile as her daughter told the story. She told herself she was going to have to give Jon a stern lecture for almost letting a bear eat their daughter, but in the meantime she enjoyed hearing about the adventure. 

When Rhaella finished Daenerys ducked back into her chambers, but Rhaella came in soon after her. “Muña?”

Daenerys turned to her, surprised. “Yes, sweetling? What’s wrong?”

Rhaella nervously approached Daenerys and then suddenly hugged her, tightly. 

“I’m sorry about Aemon.”

Daenerys returned the embrace, not knowing how to react. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. I should have told him a long time ago.”

Rhaella pulled back. “Did you mean what you said the other night? About wishing you could take it back?”

Daenerys nodded. “I’ve tried to justify it for a long time. I’ve tried to make sense of it, tried to make peace with it. But knowing now how much it’s hurt you and how much it’s hurt your brother I regret it more than ever.”

Rhaella nodded. “You don’t seem like you’d burn a city down. Everyone except Papa always says you’re mad, but I don’t think you are.”

Daenerys sighed. “My entire life people told me that your grandfather had been mad, and my entire life I tried to prove I was different. That Targaryens weren’t all evil.”

Rhaella gave her a sad smile. “You still have time. You made a mistake but that doesn’t mean you can’t try to do better.”

Daenerys let a few tears fall and hugged her daughter again. “Thank you.”

“It’s okay, Muña. I still don’t forgive you, but I don’t want to be mad at you anymore.”

“I love you, Rhaella. I love you so much. No matter how mad you were at me I never stopped loving you. I’ll always love you, I promise. I want to be better for you. I don’t want you to have to be ashamed of me.”

Rhaella pulled back again and reached up to wipe away her mother’s tears. “I’m ashamed of what you did to King’s Landing. But I’m proud of what you did before that. I’m proud of what you did during the Long Night and I’m proud of what you did across the Narrow Sea. You did a bad thing and I can’t forget that, but I want to try to remember all the good you did, too.”

The two embraced again and Daenerys stroked her daughter’s hair. “You should get to bed, sweetling.”

Rhaella nodded, but didn’t want to let go just yet. “Will you be here if I have another nightmare?”

“Of course. I’ll always be here for you. Do you want me to tuck you in?” 

Rhaella nodded again and Daenerys took her to her bedchamber and made sure she was comfortable before returning to her own room.

“Goodnight Rhaella. I love you.”

“Goodnight, Muña.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of you are probably upset that Aemon freaked out on Daenerys, but he doesn’t hate her. He’s going to be a little depressed for a bit but I think that it wouldn’t be realistic for him to hear about King’s Landing and be completely fine with it. Especially because he’s a pretty compassionate kid.
> 
> Any guesses as to where Jon could have possibly gone?
> 
> Also right now I have absolutely no clue as to what happens after chapter sixteen, so help me out here. Anything you want to see?


	13. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both children question their parents.

“Aemon?” Daenerys sat on the edge of his bed and gently reached out to shake him awake. He was already awake, face slick with tears. “Leave me alone.”

“Aemon, please, I-”

“Please just leave me alone.”

“Please Aemon. Please. I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me. I-”

He turned to face her. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. It’s just- I just- please leave me alone.”

He turned his back again and after a few moments she left. 

Rhaella tried again after breakfast. “Aemon, I brought you some breakfast. I know bacon is your favorite so I got you extra bacon.”

“I’m not hungry.” He didn’t look up as she set the tray on his desk. She walked over to stand next to his bed with a worried expression. 

“Okay, but you need to get up. We’re still learning about food stores today, remember?”

He shook his head and turned his back. “Food stores are stupid.”

Rhaella gawked and tried to figure out what to say. She tried to put on her most convincing voice. “Aemon, what are you talking about? Food stores are super fun.”

He didn’t respond and she became even more worried. “C’mon, Aemon. If you don’t come to our lessons then you’ll never be able to save us if there’s a supply shortage.”

“Please go away.”

“Aemon-”

“I want to be alone. Please.”

* * *

Both Rhaella and Daenerys were in awful spirits by the end of the day. He refused to eat and he didn’t want to leave bed. He didn’t even want to hear a bedtime story. Maester Owyn examined him and said he could find nothing wrong. After she had tucked Rhaella into bed and said goodnight to Aemon Daenerys still couldn’t get to sleep. She sat up worrying until Rhaella appeared in her doorway. 

“Muña?” 

“Yes, sweetling? What’s wrong?”

Rhaella walked over to her bed a little nervously. “Can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t want to be alone. I miss Aemon.”

Daenerys pulled back her sheets so her daughter could climb into bed with her. “I miss him too.”

“I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I never should have-”

Daenerys reached out and guided her daughter’s face until she could look into her eyes. “Rhaella, this is not your fault. This is not your fault, do you hear me? Do not blame yourself.”

“But-”

“This is not your fault. I should have told Aemon a long time ago. It’s my fault for not telling him sooner. And it’s my fault for burning King’s Landing in the first place. Okay?”

Rhaella hesitated but then nodded. Daenerys held her tightly. “It’s okay, sweetling. It’s going to be okay.”

They sat in silence for a few moments but they soon realized it was going to be hard to fall asleep, even with each other for comfort. Daenerys finally spoke. “How about another story?”

Rhaella smiled. “I could tell you about the time I almost got eaten by a bear.”

“No, sweetling. That story scares me.”

Rhaella rolled her eyes. “It’s not that scary. Probably not as scary as burning down the Dothraki temple.”

Daenerys sighed. “Okay, but just know that I’m going to have to have a talk with your father when he comes home. I don’t like to hear that you were almost killed by a bear.”

Rhaella laughed. “Okay, Muña. So I was six years old-”

“Six?! This happened when you were six?!”

Rhaella sighed. “Yes. Now don’t interrupt.”

* * *

Jon finally came back a few days later. His voyage was unsuccessful, but Rhaella was thrilled to see him, and Daenerys was also surprisingly happy he was home. “Where’s Aemon?”

They explained what had happened and Jon immediately went to his son.

“Aemon?” Jon knocked on his son’s door and Aemon turned to see who it was. 

“Kepa?” He was excited for a moment but then started crying again. Jon rushed over to his bed to hold him. 

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay, Aemon. I’m here. It’s okay.” He rubbed his back and kissed his temple. “Shh, it’s okay.”

Aemon calmed down a little after a few moments. “No, it’s not. Muña burned down King’s Landing. She said so.”

Jon swallowed and nodded. “Aye. She did. But that’s in the past, son. It’s over now.”

“But it happened! Drogon burned children!” Jon pulled back to wipe away Aemon’s tears and look in his eyes.

“I need you to understand something, okay? Your Muña loves you and Rhaella more than anything in the whole world. You’ve never seen a war, son. And if I can do anything about it I promise you that you never will. Things are different in a war. You have to kill-”

“But she killed kids, Kepa. She killed families.”

“I had to kill a boy too. My actions condemned families to die too.”

Aemon backed away, horrified. “No. No.”

“Aemon, you need to listen to me. It was a war. We all did horrible things. Do you know why your mother burned King’s Landing?”

Aemon shook his head, terrified. Jon continued. “Everyone your mother loved had died. She lost her best friends. Her advisors turned on her. And I turned her away. She lost everyone she ever loved, and she wanted to make sure she wouldn’t lose you, too. She wanted to protect you.”

“But children wouldn’t have hurt us.”

Jon shook his head. “It was wrong of her to burn the city. But she did it because she wanted to send a message that no one could hurt House Targaryen. That no one could hurt you.”

Aemon shook his head. “But you killed her. You killed me and Rhaella.”

Tears sprung to Jon’s eyes. “Aye, I did. I didn’t know about you and Rhaella. If I had I never would have hurt you and Muña. But I thought I had to kill her. I thought she would hurt more people, hurt my cousins. I thought if I didn’t kill her someone else would.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Every day. Every single day, son. Just like I know Muña regrets King’s Landing.”

Aemon shook his head. “I don’t want it to be true. I don’t understand how Muña could ever have done it.”

Jon reached out to hold his son again and Aemon let him. Jon spoke again after a moment. “You should talk to your mother. She’s the only one that can really tell you why she did it.”

Aemon held Jon even tighter. “Aemon, you’ll talk to her, right? Please?”

After a moment he nodded and Jon smiled. “Now how about we go have some lunch, okay? I heard you haven’t been eating.”

Aemon pulled back and nodded. “Can we have kidney pie?”

Jon smiled. “Of course. Do you want to eat in the kitchens?”

Aemon nodded. 

“Then you’d better get dressed. I’m going to go put my things away, I’ve only just gotten back. Come find me when you’re dressed and then we’ll go eat, okay?”

* * *

“Rhaella?” Daenerys found her daughter at her vanity, brushing her hair.

“Yes, Muña?” She turned, getting the brush even more tangled in her curls and letting out an exasperated sigh. 

“Can I help?” Daenerys offered. Rhaella nodded and happily handed over the brush.

Daenerys smiled as she worked as gently as possible. “I’ve always loved your father’s hair but I wish you had gotten my hair. It’s a lot easier to brush.”

“Papa said you used to braid your hair.” Daenerys nodded and Rhaella continued. “Why don’t you anymore?”

“Well, you know I was Khaleesi, right? It’s Dothraki tradition for a Khal to braid his hair. He only cuts his braid if he is defeated. When I died I had many braids, but I died. I was defeated. So I don’t braid my hair anymore.”

“Oh.” Rhaella said, biting the inside of her cheek. “The Dothraki are also really good at riding horses, right?”

Daenerys nodded and Rhaella continued. “Do you like to ride horses?”

“I do. Do you want to go riding today?” 

Rhaella hesitated. “Will I have to see your dragon?”

Daenerys shook her head. “You don’t have to see him until you’re ready. Though he wants to meet his little sister very much.”

A small smile came to Rhaella’s face. Her mother finished brushing out all her tangles and the two left for the stables. 

Rhaella was instantly impressed with her mother’s riding skills. The two spent the better part of the afternoon riding, eventually coming to stop and rest on one of the cliffs. 

“You’re a really good rider.” Rhaella said after she dismounted. 

Daenerys put an arm around her daughter as they walked toward the edge of the cliff to get a better view. “You’re a very good rider too, sweetling. I wasn’t nearly that good at your age.”

Rhaella smiled but her expression turned to one of horror at seeing Drogon flying in the distance. 

“Rhaella? What’s wrong?” It took a moment for Daenerys to realize what it was. She squeezed Rhaella’s shoulder, hoping to make her feel safe. “It’s okay, sweetling. He won’t come over here unless I ask him to. We can head back now if you want.”

Rhaella hesitated, then nodded. “Maybe you can ask him to come see us another day?”

Daenerys bent to kiss the top of her head. “Of course, sweetling. I know he’s very excited to meet you.”

Rhaella gave the dragon another apprehensive look and nodded before mounting her horse again and returning back to the castle with her mother.

* * *

Aemon knocked on Daenerys’ solar door after lunch. 

“Yes?” Daenerys called out, pausing her conversation with Rhaella. Aemon very nervously walked into the room.

“Aemon? Is everything okay?” Rhaella asked, concerned. Aemon nodded. “I need to talk to Muña.”

Rhaella nodded and left to find Jon, closing the door behind her. 

“Aemon?” Daenerys asked, scared. Suddenly Aemon came crashing into her arms. “I’m sorry, Muña. I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay. What could you possibly have to be sorry for?”

“Kepa told me that it wasn’t your fault and I thought it was and I was mad at you and I shouldn’t have been.”

“Shh, it’s okay Aemon. It’s okay.”

Aemon pulled back and Daenerys wiped away his tears. “It wasn’t really your fault, was it?”

Daenerys took a deep breath. “When I did it I thought I had to scare Westeros to show that no one could attack me ever again. That no one could ever attack you. I wanted people to fear me. But I never wanted to hurt you. I wish I hadn’t ever hurt innocent people.”

Aemon nodded. “Kepa told me he hurt people too. He told me that everybody had to hurt people. Will I ever have to hurt people?”

He started crying at the thought of it and Daenerys held him again. “Shh, it’s okay. You don’t ever have to hurt anyone, okay? Kepa and I were at war. People die in war, people get hurt. In war everything is hard. But we’re not in a war now, okay?”

Aemon nodded and Daenerys kept talking. “When I attacked King’s Landing I had just lost all of my friends. My advisors turned on me. I was all alone. I wanted to make sure that you and Rhaella would be safe. Kepa abandoned me and-”

“Kepa wishes he hadn’t killed you.” He pulled back and tried to wipe away his tears. “He shouldn’t have ever done it. I know you hurt people but you’re not evil. You could never be evil. I don’t know how you ever could have hurt people. I don’t know how Kepa could ever kill you.”

Daenerys gently squeezed his hand. “Kepa and I both made mistakes. We’re both here now. We both love you.”

“I love you too, Muña. I don’t hate you or Kepa for what you did. But I wish you hadn’t done it. I really really wish you hadn’t done it.”

“Me neither.”

* * *

“Papa?” Rhaella found Jon in his solar. Upon seeing her he immediately got up to give her a hug. She returned the embrace but then pulled back. “Can I talk to you?”

“Of course, sweetheart.” They each took a seat and he continued. “How was your week? Have you been nice to your mother?”

Rhaella nodded hesitantly. 

“Rhaella?”

She sighed, hating to admit she had been wrong. “You were right, Papa. She’s really nice.”

Jon smiled. “Good. I knew you were going to like her once you gave her a chance. Now what did you want to talk about?”

“While you were gone Muña told me everything that happened before we were born. It’s not what my aunts and Uncle Bran told me.”

Jon swallowed nervously. “I know.”

“Why do they hate her so much?” Rhaella was confused, but also a little angry on behalf of her mother.

Jon searched for an explanation. “Your Aunt Sansa went through a lot of bad things when she was young. Right around your age she was taken away from her family and your Great-Uncle Eddard was murdered in front of her.”

“That doesn’t mean she had to be so awful to Muña.”

Jon swallowed again and nodded. “You’re right. But your Aunt Sansa has trouble trusting people, and your mother wasn’t going to let the North be free-”

“But she came to the North to save everyone from the White Walkers. She wasn’t there to conquer them.”

“You’re right, but-”

“And Aunt Sansa betrayed you, didn’t she?”

“Aye. She did. But I forgave her-”

“Muña told me one of her advisors tried to kill her so you could be King.”

“What?” Jon was shocked. Daenerys had never told him.

“Yeah. And why does Aunt Arya hate Muña? I know Muña hates her because she took me away from her when I was little, but why would Aunt Arya do that?”

“I don’t know. If I would have known what she had done… you know your mother and I can never forgive her, don’t you?”

Rhaella nodded, sadly. “But why did you forgive Aunt Sansa?”

“I wanted you to have a family.”

Rhaella looked confused and shook her head. “She betrayed you. And then you killed Muña.”

“Rhaella, I only did that because-”

“I know, Papa. I know you thought she would hurt more people. And I’m happy she didn’t get to hurt anyone else that was innocent. But Muña fought to save the whole world from the Night King. Why didn’t you fight to protect her from the Starks or from her advisors?”

Jon started crying and Rhaella got up to hug him. He tried to regain his composure. These were questions he had been trying to answer her entire life but Rhaella had never argued in favor of her mother before. She had never thought that her mother might not have been in the wrong before.

For the first time in her life, Rhaella was upset at her father for killing her mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, at some point I really think we need to hear this legendary bear story, just saying. (I’ve mentioned it a few times now. Has anyone noticed that? Anyone else care? Is anyone curious to hear it?)
> 
> Was any of this too sudden? I’m worried I’m maybe starting to rush stuff; a fairly major event is coming up and I’m worried it’s going to be really unrealistic with where all the relationships are at this point. 
> 
> I know that Rhaella initially was civil to Daenerys because Jon ordered her to, but at this point she has really felt bad for Daenerys when she screwed up by telling Aemon about King’s Landing and she’s starting to realize that Daenerys is actually really nice to her. She didn’t have to try and include her mom when they were training or telling bedtime stories, she didn’t have to try to comfort Daenerys at night, she didn’t have to agree to meet Drogon, and she definitely didn’t have to interrogate Jon. Rhaella’s opinion of Daenerys at this point isn’t based solely on Jon telling her to be nice. Is there still progress to be made? For sure. I am not close to done. However, can we acknowledge that there has been improvement in that relationship and this story isn’t completely anti-Daenerys? I feel like this chapter starts to improve things for Daenerys a little. Things will keep improving.


	14. Silencing the Starks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaella grapples with the past.

Dinner that night was quiet and somewhat tense. Aemon still hadn’t quite made peace with what Daenerys had done, and Rhaella was decidedly upset with her father. Daenerys never wanted to talk much with Jon, but she had to in order to prevent them from eating in silence. 

After dinner as Jon was preparing to tuck his children in he didn’t find Rhaella in her chambers. After some searching he found her in bed with Daenerys.

“Rhaella, I couldn’t find you. Don’t you want me to tell you a bedtime story?”

She shook her head. “No. I want Muña to tell me one instead.”

Jon was baffled and a little hurt, but he nodded and forced a smile before leaving to find Aemon, who was in his room.

“Aemon, Rhaella’s with Muña. She’s telling a story if you want to go hear it.”

Aemon bit his lip as he considered it. “Kepa, could you tell me a story about when you were in the Night’s Watch? I’d rather hear one of those.”

Jon was shocked but pleasantly so. “Of course, son.”

* * *

Daenerys had just finished telling Rhaella about the battle she fought during the Long Night and was ready to tuck Rhaella in when her daughter stopped her. “Muña, I need you to know that I’m really sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?” Concern flashed to Daenerys’ face as she reached out to squeeze Rhaella’s shoulder.

Rhaella started crying. “I tried to kill you. I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t know you and I thought you were a bad person and-”

Daenerys immediately wrapped her daughter in a tight embrace. “Shh. It’s okay, sweetling. It’s okay. You didn’t know me. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t have tried to hurt you. I shouldn’t have listened to Aunt Sansa and Aunt Arya, they betrayed you and you came to save them but they-”

“Shh, it’s okay, Rhaella. That’s not your fault. You didn’t know. It’s not your fault, you grew up with them. I burned King’s Landing and that was wrong. It’s okay that you thought I wasn’t a good person. It’s not your fault that you never knew me.”

Rhaella kept crying and shook her head. “No. I never should have tried to hurt you. It’s my fault, I didn’t want to trust you. You would never hurt anyone good. You wouldn’t ever hurt me and I thought you would and I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

Daenerys pressed a kiss to her head. “There’s nothing for me to forgive you for. You haven’t done anything wrong. The Starks raised you, of course you trusted them.”

“I wish they hadn’t. I wish Aunt Arya hadn’t taken me. I’m sorry, Muña. I’m so sorry.”

“Shh, it’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

Rhaella kept crying and her mother held her tightly, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down. “It’s okay, sweetling. It’s not your fault. It’s okay. I’m here now and I’m never going to let anyone take you from me again. I’m going to protect you. It’s going to be okay.”

Eventually Rhaella started to calm down. Daenerys pulled back to wipe away her tears and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay, sweetling. You haven’t done anything wrong. You didn’t know.”

Rhaella hugged her again. “I wish I could have grown up with you.”

Daenerys nearly started crying herself. “Me too, sweetling. I wish that more than anything in the world. But I’m here now. It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m really happy you’re my Muña.” Daenerys started to cry a little bit. 

“I’m really happy you’re my daughter.”

Rhaella pulled back and wiped away her tears. “I’m still mad at you for King’s Landing, you know.”

Daenerys nodded. “That’s okay.”

“But I don’t hate you anymore. I’m sorry I ever did. I never should have listened to the Starks.”

Daenerys stroked Rhaella’s hair. “That’s not your fault. You didn’t know better. You know the truth now and that’s what matters.”

* * *

The following day Rhaella was clearly still upset with Jon, but Aemon appeared to have forgiven both of his parents. Daenerys went in to wake Rhaella up for breakfast. Rhaella asked if Daenerys could help brush her hair and if they could go riding again after she and Aemon had their lessons.

“You don’t want to train with your father?”

Rhaella shook her head, somewhat sadly. But she had made up her mind. Daenerys was surprised but pleasantly so, though she was slightly concerned. Had Jon done something to Rhaella?

After breakfast Daenerys found Jon in his solar. “We need to talk.”

He gestured to the chair across from him but she elected to remain standing. 

“Why does Rhaella suddenly hate you?”

Jon flinched a little bit and gave her a sad smile. “She’s finally starting to ask questions about why I did what I did and she didn’t like my answers, I suppose.”

Daenerys nodded. “Aemon didn’t like my answers, either.”

Jon sat back in his chair and sighed. “We’ve both made our fair share of mistakes. They’ll come to realize that we’re more than our mistakes.”

Daenerys scoffed. “You didn’t seem to think that when you were putting a knife in my heart.”

Jon clenched his jaw. “We’ve been over this-”

“You chose the Starks over me. Sansa betrayed you, and you chose her over me.”

“Sansa didn’t slaughter a city.”

“We were at war.”

“The children you burned weren’t fighting against you.”

She shook her head. “I know. But it was necessary to show strength. It was necessary to protect our children.”

“Not like that. Not by burning innocents.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t even give me a chance to speak to you about it. You didn’t wait to see what I would do next. You thought of your sisters and you decided that they were more important than I was. The mother of your children.”

“If I had known-”

“I was going to tell you that day, you know. For the first time in weeks you weren’t pushing me away. You had shared my embrace. You gave me hope. I couldn’t wait to tell you. I hoped you’d be happy when I did. You kissed me and everything was alright for a moment. And then- and then-”

He hung his head. “You think I took pleasure in it? It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

She shook her head. “You kissed me and you killed me. You killed your kin, killed your Queen. Killed your children.”

“What do you want me to do now? How do I make it up to you? How do I prove to you that I’ll never betray you again?”

She gave him a hurt and angry look. “You can’t. You forgave Sansa for betraying you and but I’ll never be able to do the same.”

“Sansa-”

“You let her help you raise our daughter, Jae. You let her turn Rhaella against her own mother. You let her lie to Rhaella and tell her I was a monster. You-”

“You burned King’s Landing. You were a monster.”

Fire blazed bright in her eyes. “You and those Stark monsters will never tell her that again. Am I understood?”

He nodded, sadly. “I never wanted her to hate you. I just didn’t want her to make the same mistakes you did. I didn’t want-”

“Yes you did. If you hadn’t you never would have let the Starks near her.”

He shook his head. “They’re my family, Daenerys. What was I supposed to do? Arya brought her to me. Bran is King, he’s appointed her his heir-”

“And the entire time all of you were telling her how horrible I was.”

“I tried to tell her about all the good you did-”

“You told her that I burned children, Jae. That’s all she heard. That’s all the Starks wanted her to know about me. You failed to let her see any of the good I had done.”

“Daenerys-”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry to disturb you. I just needed to be sure of why she was suddenly acting so distant.”

With that she left, leaving Jon feeling worse than ever. 

* * *

A few weeks had passed and Rhaella was still avoiding her father. Aemon had forgiven Daenerys completely, as well as Jon, but Rhaella was stubborn. After dinner one night Jon pulled Rhaella aside, taking her to her room to talk. 

“Rhaella, please talk to me.”

“I don’t want to. I’m mad at you.”

“Why?” He knew why, but he still needed her to say it.

“You killed Muña and Aemon and me. And you let the Starks lie to me about everything Muña did.”

Jon sighed and nodded. “I wanted you to have a family-”

“I could have had a family without thinking that Muña was a monster.”

“I tried to tell you that she came to save us in the Long Night. I tried to tell you about everything she did across the Narrow Sea.”

Rhaella shook her head. “No you didn’t. You told me you had to kill Muña because she was going to burn more people. But she wouldn’t hurt anyone innocent.”

“But she did hurt innocent people, Rhaella. She burned King’s Landing. I thought-”

“She did that to protect Aemon and me. You had abandoned her. She was all alone. How could you abandon her?”

He took a deep breath. “You know that I was raised as a bastard, right?”

Rhaella nodded and Jon continued. “My entire life I was told that I was wrong. That I shouldn’t exist. Then I found out who I really was and Muña didn’t want me to tell anyone. She thought I’d take the throne from her.”

“Were you going to?”

He shook his head. “No. Never. But she wanted to hide me, just like everyone else had. She was ashamed of me. And it was hard for me too because she’s my aunt.”

“So?”

“I was raised to believe it’s wrong to father a child with your aunt. Of course, if I had known about Aemon and you then I wouldn’t have cared. But I didn’t think it was right for us to be together.”

Rhaella gave him a confused look. “But Targaryens have always married each other. My grandparents were siblings.”

Jon nodded. “I know. But when I found out I was confused and lost. I never should have abandoned your mother but at the time it was just too hard for me.”

Rhaella shook her head. “You shouldn’t have killed her.”

Jon nodded. “I know. At the time I thought it was right. But it wasn’t.”

She shook her head. “Leave me alone.”

Jon gave her a hurt look for a second, then hardened. “No.”

“No?”

“No. I’m your father. I’m never going to leave you alone. You can hate me all you want, but I’m never going to go anywhere. I’m never going to leave you alone.”

* * *

After a few more weeks Rhaella eventually forgave Jon, though she was still somewhat upset at him for killing her mother, just as she was upset at her mother for burning King’s Landing. That day she had trained with Jon and Aemon and had listened to Jon tell her and Aemon a bedtime story, though Daenerys had come and listened with them.

They both tucked their children into bed, then said goodnight to each other as well. 

“I heard you were looking for me?” Jon spun around in a second, having just been getting into bed. 

Arya Stark was standing in his doorway, looking somewhat amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this isn't coming off as too rapid a progression. This has occured over a period of over a month, though no significant events have happened in that month beyond these confrontations so I don't know that I represented that passage of time well. Sorry if I screwed that up, I didn't want to make it too sudden but I also didn't want to put in a ton of useless filler. 
> 
> I've been trying to update this every day but updates may become more sporadic because I don't have much of a clear plan from here. Also it doesn't help that I've just started a new fic called "Birthright"- check that out if I take too long to update this. 
> 
> What do you guys think should happen next?


	15. Loss and Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaella makes a choice.

He immediately stood and crossed to her. She opened her arms to receive him but his hand went to her throat and he slammed her against the nearest wall. 

“You took Rhaella from her! You tore my family apart!”

She kicked him firmly in the chest and he faltered for a second, allowing her to pry herself from his grasp. She took a few steps back, gasping for a moment before she regained her composure. 

“Jae, you don’t have to do this.”

He glared at her, calculating his next move. “Why did you do it? Why did you take her?”

Arya sighed. “It isn’t her fault that her mother is a monster. When I took Rhaella I knew I was saving her from Daenerys.”

“From her own mother?” He was disgusted.

“She’s a monster. She burned a city. And killing her destroyed you. Before Rhaella I thought you wouldn’t last until the end of the third year after her death. I gave you Rhaella, Jon. I gave you a reason to live. And I gave her a loving home.”

He shook his head and clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring. “You’re going to pay for what you did to my family.”

She pulled Needle from its sheath and responded, tone emotionless.

“You never would have been a family. I should have killed her but once I left her my focus was on Rhaella. I’ve tried to find Daenerys a few times over the years, but I’ve never been able to.”

“Why? So you could take our son away from her, too?”

Arya shook her head. “My greatest regret is that I took so long. She needs to die, Jae.”

He screamed in fury and advanced, but she raised Needle to his throat and he stood still, practically growling at her as he responded. “You will never hurt her. You will never see my children again. You won’t have the chance.”

Suddenly Arya heard movement in the hall and ducked inside the doorway. Jon shouted for a guard, hoping that they had heard his yelling. Instead it was Daenerys that walked through the door. “Jae-”

Arya’s dagger was at her throat in an instant. Jon’s eyes widened in fear.

“Let her go.” The anger had left his voice and all that remained was fear. “Please, I’ll do anything. Let her go.”

Arya shook her head. “You’re going to let me out of here and then, I’m sorry Jae, then I’m going to have to do what I should have done all those years ago.”

“No! Please. Please, Arya.”

“We’re going to walk out of here now, and you’re not going to follow. You’re not going to do anything. I’m sorry, Jae. I wish you didn’t have to be here for-”

Suddenly Arya faltered. The dagger fell from her grasp and she reached for her back. Daenerys ran to Jon, who held her tightly for a moment, then advanced. 

There was blood pouring out of Arya’s back, spreading rapidly across the floor. Rhaella stood in the hall holding her sword, her face slick with tears. Jon saw her and he was consumed by fear once more. “Go to your mother.”

She complied instantly, rushing forward to bury herself in Daenerys’ embrace. Jon picked up Arya’s dagger and approached her body.

“Jae?” She called out, weakly.

“I’m here.” He said, kneeling next to her.

“Don’t let her hurt them, okay? Don’t hurt Sansa. Don’t hurt Bran. Don’t hurt our-”

He leaned down to her ear. “What was that you were saying? You should have come for her years ago? I’m realizing the same can be said for your siblings.”

Arya’s eyes widened. “No, no, please-”

He sank her dagger into her heart. She spit up some blood and then laid still. Jon dropped her dagger, letting it clatter on the floor. Just then Aemon came in. He stared at her body and all the blood before stepping over it and going to his mother and sister. He furrowed his brow at Jon. “Did I miss everything again?”

Rhaella laughed for a moment and then returned to crying. Daenerys tried her best to comfort her. Aemon joined in while Jon left to find someone to take away the body. 

Once Rhaella had calmed down Aemon decided it was okay to ask some questions. “Is there going to be a dead body every time I hear screaming at night? There was even blood this time.”

Rhaella laughed a little bit. “I hope not.”

“Who was that?” Aemon was a little afraid to ask after seeing how upset his sister had been. 

Daenerys responded, smoothing back her son's hair. “Arya Stark.”

Aemon hugged Rhaella again as she started to cry. “It’s okay, Ella. It’s okay.”

“She was going to hurt Muña.” Rhaella said into Aemon’s shoulder. “I didn’t want her to hurt Muña.”

Daenerys joined the embrace. “It’s okay, sweetling. I’m okay. You protected me.”

Jon finally returned and they welcomed him into the hug. Rhaella pulled back to talk to Jon. “Papa, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to- I shouldn’t have-”

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay, sweetheart. I would have done the exact same thing. You protected our family. I’m so proud of you.”

“I didn’t want to kill her, Papa. I loved her.”

He pulled her in for another hug and rubbed her back. “I know, sweetheart. But she needed to die. She loved you more than anything but she was here to hurt your mother. She wanted to rip our family apart. We’re never going to let anyone do that.”

She nodded. “Never.”

* * *

Eventually the children calmed down enough to go back to bed. Jon saw his children back into bed with Daenerys before returning to his own room, consumed by regret. No child should take a life that young, especially the life of her kin.

The next morning Rhaella was still distraught. Jon knew that she would never really be able to make peace with it. Killing your kin, killing someone you love, killing them destroyed a person. Even if it was the right thing to do. 

Jon asked Rhaella if she wanted to talk to him after breakfast, but she shook her head and said she’d rather go to her lessons. After Aemon and her had left Jon turned to Daenerys. “We should send her body back to Winterfell.”

Daenerys scoffed. “So she can be given a place of honor in the Stark crypts?”

“So Sansa knows never to come for our family. So she sees the consequences of doing so.”

Daenerys thought for a moment and then nodded. “See it done.”

With that she stood to leave, then turned back to him. “You were going to seek her out, weren’t you?” 

Jon nodded. “She needed to die. I wish it had been by my hand. I hope this won’t destroy Rhaella. She never should have had to-”

Daenerys shook her head. “We’ve done terrible things, Jon. We’ll help her to make peace with it, just as you and I have.”

He nodded and she left.

* * *

Rhaella was distant during her lessons and again during her training. That night she went to Jon for a bedtime story. “Papa, can you tell me what it was like when you killed Muña?”

Sadness flooded Jon’s face and he nodded, wrapping his arm around her. “Well, you know that she had burned King’s Landing. I thought she wouldn’t stop. I thought she would go on killing anyone and everyone that stood in her way. Including the Starks. I wanted to protect the smallfolk and I wanted to protect my family.”

“But she’s your family.”

Jon nodded. “She is my family. But that day I had to choose between her and the Starks. I chose the Starks.”

Rhaella looked up at him with fear in her face. “How do you know if you made the right choice?”

Jon hugged her tighter to him and a few tears fell from his face. “I love your mother, Rhaella. And I loved the Starks. I never could have chosen between them, not really. But I had to and I didn’t make the right choice. There is no right choice. But you did not make the wrong choice.”

Rhaella shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I didn’t want her to hurt Muña. But I wish I hadn’t had to kill her. I didn’t want to have to choose, Papa. I didn’t want to have to choose.”

“Shh, I know, sweetheart. It was the hardest choice you’ll ever have to make. It was an impossible choice. But you had to make it and you didn’t make the wrong choice. Your aunt forced you to choose and that was wrong of her.”

Rhaella buried her head in his chest, sobbing as he tried to comfort her. Eventually she recovered and pulled back. “Does it ever get easier?”

“No.” It broke his heart to tell her, but he didn’t want to lie. “No, it doesn’t get easier. Every day I have to live with the fact that I killed your mother. I killed the best woman I knew. I try to tell myself that she would have killed my family, that she would have done more horrible things. But I still know that she loved me and that she was good.”

Rhaella started crying again and Jon continued. “But you know that if you didn’t stop her then your aunt would have killed your mother. You know that, Rhaella. Arya destroyed our family. She took you away from your mother. I was going to kill her. I wish you hadn’t, sweetheart. I wish you wouldn’t have to live with this. But you need to know that you protected our family. I’m proud of you.”

Rhaella shook her head. “I know I should hate her, Papa. I know I should. But without her I wouldn’t have grown up with you. Without her I wouldn’t be who I am. I still love her, even though I know she was bad.”

Jon nodded. “I know. It was an impossible choice. But you had to protect your mother. You couldn’t have done anything differently. You protected Muña. You protected Aemon and me, too. You have to know that you did not make the wrong choice.”

Rhaella nodded, though both she and Jon knew that she would never be sure of that.

* * *

Daenerys offered to stay with her children again that night but instead Rhaella and Aemon asked if instead he could sleep in her room. In Aemon’s words, “Muña, I’m not stupid. I’m sleeping in Rhaella’s room from now on so next time I can help stop the assassins. Or at least watch.”

Jon chuckled and said there had better not be any more assassins, but he was glad they had Rhaella around just in case. 

After the children were safely in bed Jon saw Daenerys back to her room, then turned to leave before she called out. 

“Jae, could you stay?”

“Stay?”

She hesitated and nodded. “I’d feel safer if you stayed.”

“Of course. Do you want me to stand guard?”

She shook her head and grabbed his hand, leading him to her bed. His eyes widened. 

“Are you sure, Daenerys?”

She nodded and pulled him down into the bed next to her. He carefully pulled up the covers, not wanting to make the wrong move. She lifted his arm around her and nestled into his chest.

“Daenerys-”

“Dany.” She corrected him, looking up into his eyes. 

“Dany?” He asked and she nodded. Tears sprung into both of their eyes and suddenly their lips crashed together. 

The kiss was long and passionate and neither wanted to stop for fear it wouldn’t be real if they did. Her fingers intertwined with his hair as he held her to his chest. Eventually she pulled back to look in his eyes. He searched her eyes and was terrified to find fear in them. 

“Dany, I’m sorry. I’m-”

She brought a finger to his lips and then replaced it with her mouth. Their second kiss was deeper as their tongues duelled and she moaned into his mouth. She pulled back a second time and smiled at him.

“What?” he asked, amused with the look she was giving him.

“I always thought you looked more comely with a beard, but it feels so much better to kiss you like this.” She ran a hand up the side of his face, then pulled him back in for a third kiss. After it finally broke apart they stared into each other’s eyes for a long time, not saying anything. He brought a hand up to stroke her hair and she gently rubbed his cheek. 

Finally she spoke. “Never betray me again. Promise me.”

He immediately shook his head. “Never. Never. I swear it. I swear it on our children’s lives.”

She nodded and let out a sigh of relief. “I miss you. It’s just hard, Jae. After…”

He nodded. “I never should have done it.”

She shook her head and wiped away the tear running down his cheek. “We can’t dwell on the past, my love.” 

He nodded and she leaned up to kiss him again, softly. A symbol of her reassurance that it was going to be okay. That they were going to be okay. He pulled back again.

“I love you, Dany. I understand that you don’t feel the same but-”

She pressed a finger to his lips again and shook her head. “Just because I can’t trust you again doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”

His jaw dropped and tears welled in his eyes. “Dany-”

“How could I not? You’ve raised Rhaella to be so strong, Jae. A bit too stubborn, but so strong. She has this confidence I nev-”

“She reminds me so much of you, Daenerys. Especially when she’s being stubborn.”

“I was never that stubborn.” She let out a small laugh and he continued. 

“I worry I raised her to be too tough. I wanted her to be ready to rule. Ever since she was little I’ve been trying to teach her to know the common folk and how to protect them. I worry that she has had too much pressure on her her whole life. Whereas you’ve given Aemon such a happy childhood, Dany. He’s so sweet and so smart and-”

She gave him a small smile. “We’ve both done our best. Perhaps now that we’re together we can bring out the best in both of them.”

He nodded and she nestled closer to his chest, resting her head over his heart before speaking again. “I heard you, you know.”

“Heard me?”

“When you were speaking to Arya. When you were telling her that you should have gone after her siblings long ago.”

He didn’t say anything, just nodded and rubbed her back. She looked up at him again. 

“Did you mean it?”

He stared into her eyes for a moment and then nodded. “I trusted them because I wanted to give our daughter a family. A family I thought I had. I never realized what family really is, Dany. I’ve never actually had it with anyone but you. Now that I have it I realize how horrible the Starks truly are and I want them to pay.”

She nodded and kissed him softly again. He pulled back after a moment to search her eyes again. “Is it wise to attack them? They deserve death but I worry about another war-”

She shook her head. “Let’s not think about that right now. Just hold me. Just let us be together right now.”

They both smiled and he did as instructed, stroking her hair and humming her a lullaby he used to sing for Rhaella. “I love you, Dany. I will never let any harm come to you or our children.”

“I love you too, Jae.” She nestled into his chest for a moment before remembering something. 

“Rhaella told me she was almost eaten by a bear?”

Jon got red in the face. “Well, she didn’t get eaten. And she likes to exaggerate.”

“Jaehaerys Targaryen, I swear-”

“It built character.”

She sat up, angry but also amused. “It built character? You let our daughter almost die because it built character?”

He also sat up, trying and failing to defend himself. “Well, she didn’t lose that much blood, and we got her to a healer-”

“She was injured?!”

His eyes widened and he got even redder in the face. “She didn’t show you the scars? Usually she loves to show off the scars… they’re really not bad, it wasn’t a bad injury, and besides, we did kill the bear eventually.”

Daenerys shook her head and put her head in her hands. “Jaehaerys, I swear…”

“Do you want me to go back to my chambers?”

She thought for a second and then shook her head but gave him a stern look. “I swear, if you ever let our daughter near dangerous animals to “build character” in the future, you’re not going to be sleeping in my bed ever again.”

“Yes, your Grace.”

She sighed and pulled him back down into the bed, nestling into his chest again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry guys, but I don’t know that we’ll ever hear the bear story. It’s too epic. You probably couldn’t handle it. (Someone please write fanfiction based on this fanfiction and write the bear story. Please. Do it. I’ll make it canon for this story if you do.) 
> 
> Jon went to look for Arya when he left. I didn’t make that clear earlier because suspense. The main reason I sent him away wasn’t for the purpose of foreshadowing but instead to give Daenerys time to bond with Rhaella while Jon was gone.
> 
> In the past people have commented on the tags and said I need to change them. I don’t consider Arya a major character in this, so I didn’t tag major character death. Was that a bad call? Sorry if that triggered anyone, please let me know if you think I should update the tags.
> 
> I have absolutely no idea where this story goes from here.


	16. Reconciled and Rebuked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys grows closer with Rhaella and Jon. There is news from the North.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a hot minute since the last chapter (by my standards). After all the chaos we've been through I wanted to write a happier chapter as I'm easing back into writing this. I also went back and revised everything up to this point, so feel free to go back and read it if you're bored- I hope it's gotten a lot better, though much of it has stayed the same. The big thing that's going to be impactful going forward is that the Dothraki still follow Daenerys. They're not on Dragonstone right now, but she still has that army at her disposal. I hope you enjoy the story moving forward and thank you for reading up to this point!

“Muña?” She hesitantly knocked on the door of her mother’s solar, still a little weary every time she approached her. Rhaella and Aemon had just finished their lessons and her brother had gone to train with Jon. 

“Yes?” Rhaella opened the door and concern flashed across Daenerys’ face before being replaced by a hopeful expression. “What is it, sweetling?”

“Can we talk? I don’t want to be around swords right now. Not after…”

“Of course. I’ll always be here to talk to you.” She got up and pulled two chairs around her table close together. 

Rhaella sat in one of them, a little relieved she wouldn’t have to spend the afternoon alone. Daenerys reached over to tuck Rhaella’s hair behind her ear before withdrawing her hand apprehensively. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Are you okay? After… well… are you okay?” Daenerys realized the question was more one for her daughter than for herself. She reached out and took Rhaella’s hand, gently squeezing it. 

“I’m alright, sweetling. You protected me. I’m so proud of you. I know it was hard. Killing always is. But you did it to protect your family.”

Rhaella nodded hollowly, as if trying to convince herself of what her mother and everyone else were saying. Daenerys searched her mind for some way to make her daughter feel better. “When I was younger I watched my brother die.”

“You did?”

Daenerys nodded, not knowing how she felt about the memory. “I was pregnant with Rhaego and he threatened to kill him. He threatened to cut him out of me.”

Rhaella’s eyes widened in fear. “What happened to your brother?”

“Drogo killed him and I let him. I was relieved when he did, but part of me was also terrified. Your Uncle Viserys was the only family I knew before you and your brother were born. He raised me, he was the only one that was always there for me. But he threatened Rhaego and when I had to choose between the two of them I knew that my son came first.”

Rhaella nodded, somewhat comforted that her mother had endured something similar. “Do you feel bad about it?”

Daenerys nodded. “I feel bad about every single person I’ve ever killed, even those that deserved it. Even those that threatened my life. But you’ll learn to make peace with it. It’s going to get easier.”

Rhaella shook her head. “Papa said it won’t.”

Daenerys gave her a pained expression and nodded. “It got easier for me, but maybe it didn’t get easier for Papa. He knew that I might hurt other people but he didn’t know for sure. And now he knows that when he killed me he killed you and Aemon, too. When you killed Arya Stark she had a blade to my throat. She was going to kill me. There was no reasoning with her, there was no other way to save me. I’m only alive because of you, Rhaella. When your Papa killed me he took our lives but when you killed her you saved my life. Do you understand?”

Rhaella nodded and let out a shaky breath. “I don’t want anyone to hurt you.”

Daenerys gave her a sad smile. “I know that while we’re together no one ever will. And I need you to know that no matter what I will always be here. I will always protect you. No one will ever take you away from me again.”

Rhaella nodded and got up from her chair to hug her mother. “I love you, Muña.”

Tears sprung to Daenerys’ eyes and she held her daughter tightly to her. “I love you too, Rhaella. I love you and Aemon more than anything in the entire world.”

She pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled down at her. Her daughter had been taken from her nearly a decade ago and she had finally returned.

* * *

They lay in bed, entangled in one another. A few weeks had passed since they had first started sharing a bed together. They hadn’t coupled again yet but she felt soothed by his presence. She was gently tracing the scar above Jon’s heart. “Does yours hurt you still?”

He nodded, reaching up to stroke her hair. “Aye. Does yours?”

“Yes. Some days more than others.” She pressed a kiss to his chest. “It still terrifies me, you know.”

“Your death?”

She gently shook her head. “Yours.”

“Dany-”

“I’m still terrified your heart will suddenly stop beating. That I’ll lose you. I don’t want to lose you again, Jae. I don’t ever want us to be parted again. Not by your death and not by mine.”

He gently rubbed her cheek. “We will never be parted again. I will never allow that to happen. I will be by your side for as long as you’ll have me.”

She smiled and reached up to kiss him. They both savored it and wanted more. He rolled them over so he was on top, then pulled back. “Is this okay?”

She nodded eagerly and pulled his mouth back down to hers. Their kisses grew more passionate and she bit his lip, drawing blood. He pulled back and smiled at her. “What was that for?”

“That,” she said as she began kissing his cheek, moving toward his ear, “that was for taking too long to get my clothes off.”

He pulled back and looked at her again, astonished. “Are you sure?”

She nodded again and he slammed his mouth back into hers as he began tearing at her laces. She pushed his shirt up over his head as he worked her nightdress down her body. Once her breasts were free he kissed his way down to them from her mouth, placing gentle open-mouthed kisses on her neck and chest as he neared her nipples.

He stopped when he got to the scar above her heart. It was the first time he had seen it. Tears came to his eyes. He sat back to look up at her. “Dany, I-”

She put a finger to his lips. “It’s okay, Jae. It’s in the past. It’s okay. Don’t dwell on it, my love. Just be with me right now.”

He nodded and bent back down, trying to focus on her breasts instead of her scar. She wove her fingers through his hair and moaned as he circled her nipple with his tongue and then wrapped his mouth around it, pulling slowly and letting it go with a pop. 

“Jae…” she moaned as he paid equal attention to her other breast. He worked her nightdress down to her ankles and she kicked it off. He slowly kissed his way down her body, then dropped his head and kissed up her thighs, starting at her knees, nearing her core but not touching her there yet. 

“Please, Jae.” He stopped kissing her and smiled, pulling back to kiss her mouth again. 

“I love you, Dany. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Show me how much you missed me.” She guided one of his hands to her dripping core and he dropped back down her body to feast. He lapped at her outer lips before slowly circling her clit with his tongue, not quite touching it yet. 

Daenerys moaned and grabbed his head, trying to force him to go where she needed him. He probed her entrance with his tongue as his nose bumped against her bundle of nerves. Then his finger replaced his tongue and his mouth wrapped itself around her clit. 

“Fuck, Jae. Yes. Don’t stop.”

He continued, adding another finger, then a third. He sucked on her clit, then lapped at it, just like he knew she liked. He kept up his efforts until she began to come undone. She moaned loudly, crying out his name as she clenched around his fingers and held his head between her thighs. 

As she came down from her peak he sat back, removing his trousers. Then he kissed his way up her body, pausing at her neck to kiss and suck on her pulse. She gripped his neck and moaned. “Gods, Jae. That was even better than I remember.”

He smiled into her neck and drew himself back up to her face to stare in her eyes and smile down at her. She pushed his chest and he took the hint, flipping onto his back. She started to move down to his cock but he pulled her back up. 

“Jae?”

“I want to be in you, Dany. If that’s okay.” She nodded with a small smile and started rubbing herself up and down on his length. He groaned. “Yes, just like that. I missed you so fucking much.”

She loved hearing his moan as she sheathed him inside her. He filled her up perfectly, just as he always had. She slowly began riding him, rolling her hips as she lowered herself down even further onto him. “Fuck, Dany.”

She smiled and bent down to kiss him. He reached up to her breasts and gently kneaded them, flicking his thumb over her nipples and then sliding his hands down to her hips. He gripped them and began thrusting up into her faster. She let out a moan and he grinned, reaching up to nip at her neck as he increased his speed, his hips snapping roughly against hers, the sound filling the room. 

Eventually he felt his release beginning to build and he moved his hand over to circle her little nub. “Yes, Jae, yes. Seven Hells.”

He bit his lip and gave her all he had, coating her walls in his seed. She clenched around him as she found her release as well, moaning out his name as she slumped over him. They lay like that for a few moments, breathing heavily until he pulled out and she slowly rolled off of him.

After a few moments she turned and slung her leg across his body and he wrapped an arm around her. He bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. 

“I love you.” she whispered, almost as if she was afraid to say it.

He was quick to answer. “I love you, too. I love you so much.”

She smiled and kissed him again, then simply lay in his arms, content and comfortable. She felt like she was home again. Her family was finally whole. 

* * *

“Jaehaerys, could I see you in my solar after breakfast?” she asked casually, trying not to tip off their children. He nodded. “Of course, Daenerys.”

Rhaella gave him a confused look, noting his overly pleasant tone. She would have to do some investigating later. She and Aemon left for their lessons soon after and Jon offered his hand to Daenerys as they walked to her solar holding hands with small smiles on their faces. When the door was shut behind them he pressed her against it as his mouth slammed against hers. After a moment he moved his mouth to her neck, nipping and sucking at her pulse, placing gentle open-mouthed kisses wherever he could reach.

She let out a breathless moan for a moment, hand going to his hair. After a few moments of pure pleasure she remembered the real reason they were there. “Jae…”

He moved up to her ear and gently nipped at her earlobe. “What?”

“I actually invited you here for a reason.”

“So I can fuck you so hard the entire castle will hear us?”

She smiled and kissed his cheek, pulling back and slowly guiding him to her desk, where she forced him into a chair. He tried to pull her onto his lap to straddle him but she gave him a knowing smile and pulled back to search for a scroll on her desk. 

“What is it?” he asked, pouting a bit. 

Her mood turned somber. “A raven from the North. It would seem that Sansa is less than thrilled with us.” 

He scoffed. “Why should we care?”

Daenerys raised her eyebrows. “Well apparently she’s preparing to go to war.”

“What?”

She passed him the scroll.

_ Dragon Whore, _

He snarled at reading the greeting. Daenerys sighed. “Go on, it gets better.”

_ You’ve taken my brother, my sister, and my niece from me. I will tolerate no more. You have a fortnight to leave Westeros for good. My brother and niece will remain. You will never return. If you fail to comply with this I will have you and your son executed.  _

Jon looked up at her, face distorted in anger. “How dare she threaten-”

“Do you think it’s a legitimate threat? Are her numbers accurate?”

_ I have 5,000 Northmen and Lord Manderly’s fleet. I’m sure once Bran hears of my sister’s death he will come for your head as well. Leave Westeros for good or suffer the consequences. _

_ Sansa Stark, Queen in the North _

Jon shook his head. “I doubt she would stand a chance against us. We’ll crush her, Dany. I will not withstand this threat.”

Daenerys nodded, empowered by his rage. “What of your brother?”

Jon sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know. Until he gives us reason to believe otherwise I’d like to consider him neutral.”

She nodded and he continued. “How many men do you have?”

“If the Dothraki agree to follow me again, which I think they will, they will number at least 15,000. Some may choose to stay across the Narrow Sea, but I think at least 10,000 will follow me. You’ve seen Yara’s fleet, would the Manderly ships be able to compete with hers?”

Jon scoffed and shook his head. “They’re a port without many vessels of their own. The ships they do have are manned by merchants, not warriors.”

He stood up and began pacing. “I would like to attack them in the North and show them our full strength. The problem is that it’s a large country and it would be a taxing campaign. I don’t want to put the children through that.”

“Neither do I.”

He nodded. “Staying on Dragonstone makes sense. Make them come to us. My only concern is that Dothraki excel in the field and Dragonstone won’t allow us to take full advantage of them. Perhaps we begin a siege here and then wait for Yara to ambush them?”

Daenerys shook her head. “That’s too risky. Drogon will be out in the open.”

Jon pursed his lips and nodded. “I don’t know if Sansa will build scorpions but we need to be ready for anything. Regardless of what strategy we adopt we’ll need to summon Yara as soon as possible.”

Daenerys nodded and moved to her desk, writing a scroll. Jon awkwardly stood behind her, mind still racing as he prepared battle strategies in his head. Once she finished writing she read over the scroll a few times before leaving it to dry. With that she stood up, took a shaky breath and turned to Jon, relaxing a bit. 

“We’ll have a few moons at least, Sansa’s going to need to call her banners and make her way here.”

He nodded, relaxing a bit as well. She stepped closer to him and allowed a smile to creep to her face. “It would be a shame to let your cousin ruin the mood. Where were we?”

He allowed a small smile to form on his lips before he brought them crashing against hers, moaning into her mouth as her hand slid down to his cock. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll just reiterate what I said at the beginning and say I hope this was a happier chapter, but not unrealistically happy. Also, we're finally getting to smut! Yay! Hopefully I get back in the swing of writing this and I can give you guys some really fast updates again. Let me know what you think should happen next; I'm still not 100% sure of how to move forward.


	17. Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monarchs discuss the future and Rhaella meets Drogon.

“Bran, we have to do something.”

The Three-Eyed Raven rarely showed emotion but he pressed his lips together and a slight crease emerged in his brow. “What would you have me do?”

“We need to save Rhaella! The Dragon Whore is poisoning her mind against us!”

He pursed his lips. “Jaehaerys and Daenerys are discussing an attack on the North.”

Sansa’s eyes widened. “Is she going to burn Winterfell? Is she going to burn down King’s Landing again?”

“I don’t know. Jaehaerys has said that he believes I will be neutral. If I am, perhaps they will leave me alone.”

“You aren’t.”

He raised an eyebrow, trapping her under his piercing gaze. “Why shouldn’t I be? The North is not my concern.”

“Bran!” 

He didn’t respond, waiting for her to make an argument. After a moment she began to speak again, her blood boiling. “I am your sister-”

“Jaehaerys, Aemon, and Rhaella all share my blood as well.”

“The North destroyed the Night King-”

“With the help of Daenerys’ army.”

She let out a huff. “You’re going to let thousands burn at the hands of Targaryens- again? And then you’re just going to hope they don’t become power hungry and don’t decide to take back the remaining Six Kingdoms?”

Bran’s lips curled into a slight smile meant to reassure Sansa. “I have no intention of allowing them to attack.”

“What will we do then?”

He turned his gaze to the window again, distant as ever. Sansa was shocked he’d been able to hold a conversation for as long as he had been. Bran continued speaking, though she thought she saw a flash of white in his eyes. 

“Do you know why I named Rhaella my heir?”

Confusion replaced her frustration. “Because she’s our blood? The last of our line? You are unable to have children, Arya refused to, and any child I have will rule the North. She’s the best chance we have to carry on the Stark name, unless I’m able to have children.”

“The Stark name doesn’t matter. My relation to her never mattered. What does matter is her relation to Daenerys. Daenerys won’t attack her own blood. I knew she would never burn down King’s Landing with her daughter inside. She isn’t that mad.”

Sansa was still confused. “But even with Rhaella as your heir Daenerys is still a threat.”

Bran gave her a slow nod. “That’s because Daenerys has Rhaella.”

Sansa’s eyes widened as she understood. “You mean to take her, like Father did with Theon.”

“And her brother.”

“What use will he be? If we take both children then they’ll have to come for them.”

“One to protect my Kingdoms and one to protect yours. Besides, if one child dies we’ll still have the other.”

Sansa pursed her lips and nodded, not wanting to plot the murder of her niece but seeing the practicality of it. “How will we get them?”

“We need to move quickly, they’re beginning to rally their army.”

* * *

It was a particularly beautiful morning and Daenerys and Jon decided the children could go without their lessons for a day. Rhaella was overjoyed to be alleviated of her studies whereas Aemon complained about missing the opportunity to learn about Brandon the Builder and the construction of the Wall. Jon reassured him several times that he’d be able to learn about it the following day and promised to take him to the Wall someday.

Rhaella eagerly asked Daenerys to go riding and her mother happily agreed. Jon was surprised that Rhaella would rather ride than hunt with Aemon and he but he was happy to see his daughter bonding with her mother. 

The pair raced across the cliffs of Dragonstone, wind whipping through their silver hair as the hooves of their mounts pounded beneath them. Suddenly a shadow enveloped them as Drogon flew overhead. Rhaella immediately commanded her horse to halt, panicking at the sight of Drogon still.

After a moment Daenerys saw Rhaella’s fear and turned her horse back to move alongside her daughter. She gently dismounted and reached up to squeeze Rhaella’s hand reassuringly.

Rhaella looked down at her mother, deep in thought. She chewed her bottom lip, looking back at Drogon. He was soaring just over the edge of the sea, not very far away.

“Do you want to go back, sweetling? I can ask him to fly somewhere else.”

Rhaella thought for a long moment.

“Is he scary?” She asked in the faintest voice possible. 

Daenerys shook her head. “No. Drogon has never done anything but protect us. Dragons don’t hurt Targaryens.”

Rhaella looked down at her mother and dismounted from her horse. “Do you think… do you think he’ll like me?”

Daenerys beamed at her daughter. “He’ll love you, I know it. When you were a baby I used to take you and Aemon to visit him. I know he’s missed his little sister.”

Rhaella chewed her lip a little bit more, regarding Drogon uneasily. Daenerys reached down to stroke her hair. “Would you like to go say hello?”

Rhaella swallowed and wrapped her arms around her mother. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’ll meet him. If you want. And if you promise to protect me.” Daenerys kissed the top of Rhaella’s head. “I’ll always protect you. Always.”

She gently asked Drogon to join them on the cliffs and he landed nearby. The horses ran off. 

“Seven hells.” Daenerys muttered. Rhaella was still holding Daenerys but moved to look at Drogon.

Daenerys gently stroked her hair. “Do you want to go say hello?”

Rhaella took a deep breath and nodded, breaking the embrace so she could walk towards him. Daenerys offered her daughter her hand and Rhaella gladly accepted it.

They walked over very slowly, and Drogon remained calm, sensing the need to soothe Rhaella. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetling. You don’t have to do this, okay?”

Rhaella was trembling but she clutched her mother’s hand and kept walking. “It’s okay, Muña. I trust you. He’s not going to hurt us, right?”

“He’s never going to hurt you. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”

Rhaella nodded and they approached. Daenerys reached out to him. Drogon did his best not to move so as not to scare Rhaella. She moved to hide behind Daenerys a bit.

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay.” Daenerys said, stroking Drogon and still holding Rhaella’s hand. After a few moments Rhaella gingerly stepped forward and stared at Drogon, sitting in silence for a moment. 

“Muña, what does he feel like?” Rhaella asked after watching her mother stroke him.

“Do you trust me?” Daenerys asked. Rhaella nodded and Daenerys gently guided her daughter’s hand to Drogon. Rhaella gasped as she made contact and stood stock still.

“It’s okay, sweetling. It’s okay.” After a moment Rhaella started stroking Drogon as well, slowly getting more comfortable. “He’s so warm.”

Daenerys nodded and hummed. Drogon decided it was safe to purr. Rhaella jumped back for a second, then laughed and placed her hand on his snout again. Daenerys beamed down at her two children. After a few moments Rhaella seemed to be doing alright, so Daenerys tentatively asked Rhaella if she’d like to ride Drogon.

“The horses ran off, and it’d be a long walk back. We don’t have to if you don’t want to, okay? You’ve been very brave already and I’m so proud you let him come say hello.”

Rhaella thought about it. “Is it scary to ride him?”

“It can be at first, but then flying feels amazing. And I’ll be right there next to you.”

Rhaella bit her lip and then nodded. Daenerys smiled and guided her up Drogon’s wing, following closely behind. She was incredibly nervous but her mother sat behind her and showed her where she should hold. “Are you ready?”

Rhaella nodded and Daenerys smiled. “Do you remember the Valyrian word for fly? When you say it he’ll fly. We don’t have to go until you’re ready.”

Rhaella took a few deep breaths and finally said it. “Sōvegon.”

She wanted to scream in fear as Drogon took a few leaps forward before jumping off the cliff but she held on where her mother had told her to and relied on Daenerys to make sure they stayed safe. 

The flight was a smooth one compared to some of the others shared by Daenerys and Drogon, and she was thankful that Rhaella’s first time was easy. They landed on a cliff next to the castle and dismounted. 

Rhaella took a moment to say goodbye to Drogon, gently stroking his face as he purred at her. Daenerys smiled at the two of them. “Rhaella, I have to get back to my solar to take care of some things, but you can stay here if you want.”

“No, Muña. Can I come help you?” She was still a little scared of Drogon. He was a large and intimidating animal.

“Of course. Do you want to hear about the very first time I rode Drogon?”

Rhaella nodded and they began walking back to the castle. “You were in the fighting pits in Mereen, right Muña?”

* * *

“So now we have two dragonriders in the family?” Daenerys was draped across Jon in their bed as they both recounted the events of the day. 

“Four, actually.” 

He raised his head to look at her properly. “Four?”

She smiled up at him. “Yes. Aemon rides quite well, as do you, if I recall.”

Some of the joy drained from Jon’s eyes. “I’ll never ride a dragon again. Only Rhaegal.”

Daenerys felt a pang of sadness but tried to recover after a moment. “You’ll never ride a dragon again? I seem to remember you riding one this morning…”

He growled at her and moved above her, his mouth greedily claiming hers as his hands worked their way to the lacings of her nightdress. 

She moaned into his mouth as he rushed to rid her of her clothes. She pulled back and smiled at him. “Patience, my love.”

He gave her a sheepish grin as she flipped them, taking care in removing his shirt and gently kissing every one of his scars. He closed his eyes and focused on the soothing sensation of her mouth on the marks that had once killed him. The symbols of death that became bearable under her care.

She slowly inched down his linen trousers, finally freeing his cock. He groaned in pleasure as she took him in her mouth. She paid extra attention to the head, swirling her tongue over it while her hands gently stroked his base and massaged his stones. 

One of his hands found its way to her hair as the other fisted the sheets. Jon did his best not to force her down on him, as much as he wanted to. The pace she had struck was agonizingly slow.

Her hot wet mouth perfectly enveloped his cock, her cheeks caving in as she sucked him. When he looked down at her those perfect lilac eyes were staring up at him, a hint of a smile on her lips. She released him with a pop and sat up a little so he could watch her trail one of her hands down her body to her dripping center.

Just as he was about to flip them she returned to her task, stroking him with one hand and herself with the other. The image of her playing with herself was driving Jon wild, especially when she reached up to smear herself on his cock. Instead he quickly grabbed her hand and brought her fingers to his mouth, sucking them greedily. 

She smiled bashfully and he suddenly flipped them, entering her in one swift motion. 

“Jae!” 

Her entire body was overcome with pleasure as he rammed himself into her, filling her cunt perfectly and tapping against the spot that drove her wild. 

Where she had been slow and careful he was wild and reckless, pounding into her mercilessly. “Dany…”

She clenched around him, digging her nails into his back and locking her calves around him. Her tits bounced against his chest roughly as their bodies clashed. As he began to come undone he slid his hand down to where they were connected, circling her nub as she moaned.

“Come for me, Dany.”

“Jae! Fuck! Yes!” 

As she came undone under him he found his release, coating her walls with his hot seed. When he finally rolled off of her as they were both coming down he found himself praying to the Old Gods for another child. He had no right to ask for one, especially not after what he had done to Daenerys but in that moment he didn’t think of their past, only of the future he hoped they might have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey... remember me? Long time no see. My bad, I've been working on other stories and then I started summer school, plus two jobs, so I have very very very little time to write. It has been way too long though! Sorry it's such a short chapter, I'm hoping it'll allow me to get back in the swing of things. Thanks to everyone that's sticking with this story and has been patiently waiting, hopefully the next chapter isn't too far away, though I can't make any promises. I have a pretty clear idea of where things will go from here, so hopefully I'm able to knock out the next chapter quickly- remember when I used to post a chapter every day? Oh, to be young again. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! As always, advice is appreciated! Or you can complain about how I'm fucking everything up. Be as constructive as you'd like! Miss you guys, thanks for reading!


	18. Dark Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon wakes up from a nightmare and Rhaella wakes up to a nightmare.

“No! No! No! Please, please, no, it can’t be, I couldn’t, please, no!” Jon shot up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat, tears running down his face as he cried out. He buried his head in his hands, his body wracked with sobs.

Since his reunion with Daenerys he had been sleeping soundly but that night his nightmares had returned, more intense than ever. They had been terrible when he first lost her but this nightmare was worse than he could have ever imagined.

It took Daenerys a moment to wake up, sitting up as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes but received a rush of adrenaline at seeing her lover in such pain. She instantly reached out for him but he didn’t turn back to her, simply stayed buried in his hands, sobbing hysterically.

“Jae? Sweetling? Are you okay?”

He didn’t respond and she crawled across the bed to face him, eventually moving to wrench his face from his hands. “Jaehaerys, look at me. Look at me.”

His eyes were shut tightly and he gently shook his head, tears pouring down his face. Daenerys’ heart broke for him, clearly he was in extreme pain. “Sweetling, you have to let me help you. Please. Please, Jae. I love you, I’m right here, I’m okay, it’s going to be okay.”

Despite his closed stance she forced him into her arms as she gently kissed his temple and whispered him sweet reassurances. After a moment he moved to clutch her tightly to him, sobbing into her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Dany. I’m so sorry. I never- I couldn’t- I loved- no, no, please no!”

“It was a dream, Jae. It was in the past, I’m here and I’m-”

“I killed all of you, Dany!”

She pulled back to search his eyes, his face wracked with fear and guilt. He wasn’t able to look her in the eye. She spoke softly as she stroked his cheek with her thumb. “Who? Who did you kill?”

A fresh round of sobbing overtook him as he turned away, sobbing into his hands again. Her face was overcome with empathy. She had had her fair share of nightmares after her resurrection, she knew what he was going through. She decided to try a different approach.

She stood and grabbed him roughly by the shoulders, pulling him to face her despite his resistance. When he kept his head hidden she pulled him up harshly by his ear.

“Jaehaerys Targaryen you are going to tell me what happened!”

His eyes widened as he suddenly snapped out of it, shocked by her sudden outburst. She instantly softened afterwards, moving to rub his face and give him a reassuring yet expectant look. “Tell me, please. Let me help you.”

“I- I- I-”

Her voice grew stern again as he tried to turn away from her. “Jaehaerys…”

He took some deep breaths, brushing away his tears. He still couldn’t meet her eyes. His voice was barely a whisper. “I killed you, Dany. All of you.”

“All of us? Who else?”

“Aemon and Rhaella.”

She sat next to him and rubbed his back again. “It’s okay, Jae, it’s in the past, they’re safe, they’re not-”

“No, Dany. This was the future. You were dead in my arms and they were laying next to you, blood pouring from their bodies. All I could do was hold you- you don’t understand- I killed all of you. I killed our children- Aemon and Rhaella were just lying there, their eyes staring at me, lifeless-”

Her eyes widened in fear and she clutched him tightly to her as he began to sob again. “Shh, it’s over, it was just a dream.”

“It felt so real. It felt like that day. I don’t ever want to hurt you, I can’t ever hurt them- I’m a monster- I can’t- I don’t deserve- I can’t- no, please, please-” Sobs overtook him, slurring his words together.

“Just breathe, okay? In and out, in and out, in and out.” She went nice and slow, rubbing his back as he began to calm down but the fear never left him, keeping a firm hold of his every breath.

“Jae, it’s okay. It was just a dream.”

“No, it was real! I killed you, I killed Aemon and Rhaella-”

“You didn’t! We’re okay, we’re safe, you love us and you could never hurt us-”

“I did-”

She leaned forward, gripping his head and guiding it to her chest, encouraging him to hear her heartbeat. The reassurance that she was real and blood was flowing through her veins finally calmed him down. He didn’t let go of her as he started speaking again.

“I’m sorry I reacted like that, I shouldn’t have lost control.”

“It’s okay, my love. I know what it’s like. I can’t imagine how terrifying that was. You’re safe now, we’re safe now. I love you and I trust you.”

He shook his head gently. “I hurt you, I can’t-”

“That’s in the past. If we look back we are lost. We’re okay now, our family is okay now, that’s what’s important.”

After a moment he nodded, finally pulling away from her. He averted his gaze from her still so after a moment she forced her eyes to his. “I love you. I love you, Jaehaerys. I’m right here, okay? I’m right by your side. I’ll always be by your side.”

He took a deep breath and pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you so much, Dany. Thank you. I’m sorry I-”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I have plenty to be sorry for.”

She pulled back to search his eyes again. “If you’re a monster then so am I.”

Disbelief flashed to his face. “You’re not a mon-”

“Then neither are you.”

He pressed his lips together and swallowed nervously as he slowly nodded his head. She gave him a hopeful look. “It’s okay, Jae. It’s going to be okay.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to go back to bed?”

“I just want to hold you.”

She smiled and moved back into her usual spot, pulling him next to her. They sat in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. “Yara will be here in a few days.”

“Aye.”

She pressed her lips together. “You know I’ll have to go with her to rally the Dothraki, don’t you?”

He sat up a bit. “No.”

“I have to, they won’t fight for us unless-”

“Please sweetheart, I don’t want you to leave again. I don’t ever want to be apart from you again.”

She sadly shook her head. “You know we have to. Someone has to stay on Dragonstone so the Starks can’t-”

“We’ll leave the Ironborn here-”

“No, we’ll need all of their ships to bring the Dothraki back. And I don’t want the children to come with me. They should stay here, I’ll leave Drogon, they’ll be safer and happier if they’re not forced to drop everything to chase after an army with me.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

She kissed his temple. “I have to. Once we do this your sister will no longer be a threat and then we’ll be free to always be together. Nothing will ever be able to separate us again.”

* * *

Rhaella woke up to the sound of her father screaming. Aemon was a sound sleeper and she didn’t want to wake him so she carefully snuck out of her room to go to her father’s chamber, but he wasn’t there. Puzzled as to where he could be she silently listened for voices while quietly pacing the halls, eventually hearing him talking in her mother’s room. Why was he in her mother’s room?

She pressed her ear to the door and tried to hear what they were saying. 

“Once we kill Sansa-”

They were going to kill her aunt? How could they? Aunt Sansa had committed treason against them but that had been years ago. Sansa had helped raise Rhaella, one of her only female guardians. She had always been close with Arya but Sansa understood more about being a girl. Out of all the adults in her life Sansa was closests to what Rhaella had imagined having a mother was like.

Now that she had Daenerys she knew what it was like to truly have a mother and she wouldn’t trade her for anything but Sansa had still raised her. She had been a mother to her when Daenerys was unable to. Arya had taken Rhaella, she had torn their family apart and she had threatened to kill her mother. Sansa had only ever been kind to her. Sansa would never hurt them. Why did her parents want to kill her? And why was Jon in Daenerys’ room?

She no longer harbored strong hatred for her mother; she loved Daenerys. Why did her family have to be in conflict? She loved the Starks and the Targaryens, why couldn’t they just get along?

Jon continued speaking. “-Bran may move against us. We need to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

“And returning another kingdom to his control won’t satisfy him?”

“Daenerys, we’re killing his sister. We already killed his other sister.”

Her mother sighed and Rhaella shuddered. How could they be plotting Sansa’s murder so calmly?

“Well could we kill Brandon as well?”

There was a long pause. “If we do then we’ll become King and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Of course we’ll probably have to conquer each of them again, they’re going to rebell once we move against the Starks.”

“Will they allow us to kill Sansa or will they rise up against us after her removal?”

Another long pause. 

“Her uncle holds the Riverlands, her cousin the Vale.”

“They’re sworn to the Six Kingdoms.”

“They’re two of the six. If they’re able to convince another to move against us- shit!” Jon’s suddenly stopped, confusing Rhaella and Daenerys.

“What?”

“Gendry Baratheon.”

“What about him? I made him a lord, he should be loyal to-”

“He loved Arya, he would have done anything for her. She harbored affection for him as well. I’m certain that if Sansa tells him of how Arya died then he’ll want revenge for her murder.”

Rhaella’s heart hurt, it was her fault. She had killed Aunt Arya and now her entire family were trying to kill each other. Her mother spoke again. 

“What about the Reach? The Westerlands? Dorne?”

“Loyal to Bran more than Sansa, but no friends of ours.”

“Shit!”

Silence fell again, ultimately broken by Daenerys. “We need to kill Sansa, you know th-”

“I know.”

“Jae, we already conquered the Seven Kingdoms once, we-”

“I don’t want them to see war, Daenerys. I don’t want Rhaella and Aemon-”

“We have to protect them. This is the best way to ensure their safety.”

Rhaella’s eyes widened. Her parents were discussing a war. A war that would kill people. A war where her mother would use Drogon to burn people again. He would burn children again. She couldn’t allow that to happen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the shortest chapter I've ever written for this story. Whoops. I'm just trying to get back into the swing of writing and so I figured better to start small rather than force a massive chapter but take for forever. Hopefully I'm able to start updating more regularly again. Writing the ending of this got me kind of excited because we might start looking at Westerosi politics and alliances and that's fun! Feedback is always appreciated, hopefully I'm able to post again soon.
> 
> Oh, also, Targaryens have been known to have dragon dreams... just something to think about. Don't hate me. Or do. Just keep reading.


	19. Dark Wings, Twisted Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stark plans are put into action.

Aemon was in their room, happily using wooden knights to reenact an old battle he had read about. Rhaella was supposed to be with him but she snuck away to eavesdrop on her parents instead. Yara had arrived earlier that day and the three had been in talks all day but Jon’s and her mother’s were the only voices she heard when she neared the door of her father’s solar.

“You know the sooner I leave the sooner I’ll return.” Daenerys’ voice. The door was open a crack and Rhaella quietly moved to peer inside.

Daenerys was sitting at Jon’s desk while he stood behind her, massaging her neck. Rhaella was instantly suspicious of how comfortable they suddenly seemed with each other. Too comfortable.

“You know I still don’t want you to leave.” His voice was filled with apprehension. Rhaella didn’t understand why her mother had to leave in the first place but she was happy that her parents would be separated. Perhaps she could convince Jon to see sense if her mother wasn’t influencing him.

Daenerys reached up to rub Jon’s wrist. “I don’t like this any more than you do. But you know we don’t have a choice. This is our only way of dealing with Sansa.”

“Fucking bitch.” Jon grumbled. Rhaella had to catch herself from gasping. Her father continued.

“She already tore us apart once, we can’t let her do it again. I know you have to leave but I need you to promise me you’ll return to me.”

Her mother stood and pressed herself against Jon. “I’ll return to you. I’ll always return to you. We’re going to kill the Stark traitors and then nothing will keep us from each other ever again.”

Jon nodded and growled as he slammed his lips into hers. Rhaella couldn’t help herself from gasping this time and prayed her parents hadn’t heard her. They had. 

She scrambled to turn and run down the hall before they could open the door but they saw the flash of her silver hair as she ran away from them.

“Shit.” Jon pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s not going to take this well.”

“How much did she overhear?”

“I don’t know but I guarantee her hearing any part of that was too much. I know she’s loyal to our family but she may still consider the Starks to be a part of that family… shit!”

She reached up to rub his back, tucking herself into his chest for comfort as he stroked her hair and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. After a moment she spoke.

“She was going to find out eventually. We wouldn’t have been able to hide an entire war from her.”

“I know. She won’t take it well. And I don’t know what she’s going to make of you and I.”

Daenerys pulled back. “You don’t think she’ll be happy?”

Jon sighed, trying to find the right words. “She’s protective of me. I know she loves you but I know that she’ll be apprehensive of us falling in love again when we’re on the brink of war. I think she may blame you for both.”

She sighed as well. “I wonder if I’ll ever do anything right in her eyes. Just when I think she might want me as a mother-”

“Shh, it’s going to be alright.” He wrapped her in a tight hug. “I swear, she’ll come to accept it. She’ll come to accept that you and I belong together. Because we do and nothing will tear us apart again, not even the possible disapproval of our children.”

Daenerys nodded after a moment, feeling safe in Jon’s arms. “Do you want to talk to her or should I?”

He swallowed nervously. “It’s nearly time for supper. We’ll talk to both of them; we won’t have a choice if you’re going to leave in a few days.”

“Tomorrow, Jae. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

He winced but accepted her decision. “Alright. Then we had better hurry to sort this with our children because I fully intend to worship your body tonight. I can’t have you forgetting about me while you’re across the Narrow Sea.”

She bit her lip and stroked his cock over his breeches. “I’ll never forget about you and tonight I’m also going to have to ensure you’ll never forget me.”

He smiled against her lips as he kissed her, long and deep, their tongues duelling. 

“I could never.”

* * *

She was alone in the rookery, wondering who to write to and what to say but knowing she had to say something to someone. Daenerys couldn’t be allowed to kill the rest of her Stark family. She knew her father never would have betrayed his siblings, it was only because of Daenerys that he was acting this way. 

Before she could begin writing a scroll a large black bird with white eyes croaked out and she saw the scroll attached to it’s leg, instantly recognizing it was from her Uncle Bran.

_ Rhaella, _

_ You need to come to the Red Keep, you aren’t safe on Dragonstone anymore. Daenerys wants to attack us and we need your help to convince her to keep the peace. There is a skiff waiting near the dragonglass caves, some of Yara’s men have promised to return you to me. You need to hurry, Daenerys will try to stop you but you must return to us. _

_ -Uncle Bran _

Rhaella bit her lip, conflicted, before a second white-eyed raven attracted her attention. She found the scroll attached to it was bearing the Stark sigil.

_ Rhaella, _

_ Aunt Arya is dead. Her death is not your fault, no one blames you. I know you feel guilty for her death, even though you shouldn’t. Please go with the Ironborn like Uncle Bran asked, I know it will destroy you if any more harm comes to our family. You’ll be safe with me, I promise. We can find a way to live together with your mother. Please go to the skiff. _

_ \- Aunt Sansa _

Rhaella took a deep breath and steadied herself, knowing she’d have to leave immediately. She would have liked to have some time to pack her things but it was getting dark and her absence would soon be noted. What was most important now was getting back to her Aunt and Uncle to help them stop the war. 

* * *

It wasn’t hard for her to slip past the guards unnoticed. When she reached the shore the men spotted her instantly and were very friendly as they helped her board the skiff and the ship. Their kind demeanor and reassuring words were unable to banish the ongoing internal battle Rhaella was facing and did little to stop her from being filled with doubt. 

Once she reached the ship she was pleasantly surprised to be reunited with her Aunt Sansa, who instantly wrapped her in a hug. Rhaella had been uncertain of her choice up to that point but had been keeping a strong facade until she fell into her aunt’s arms. She didn’t cry for long but she did shed a few tears as the reality of what leaving her parents would mean. 

She knew that she couldn’t let them kill her aunt and uncle but that didn’t make leaving them any easier. She was trying not to remember what it had felt like to be separated from her father for the long stretch her mother had kept him from her, and she tried to shove from her mind the love that she’d grown to feel for Daenerys.

Sansa noticed Rhaella’s emotional dismay and tried to reassure her as best she could. She was incredibly relieved her niece had chosen to return to her but somewhat apprehensive as to how Rhaella may have changed over the past few moons.

“Rhaella, have you had supper yet?”

Rhaella shook her head, shooting a nervous look back at Dragonstone as they sailed away from it. Sansa took her hand to lead her below deck, hoping to help her put all thoughts of Dragonstone and her parents out of her mind.

“What would you like to eat? Sadly we don’t have many of our favorites but once we get back to Winterfell we can have a feast.”

Rhaella stopped for a moment, confused and worried. “Winterfell? We’re not going to the Red Keep?”

Sansa gave her niece what she hoped was a sympathetic and convincing look. “Of course we’re going to Winterfell. It has been far too long since you were in the North.”

“But don’t I need to help negotiate with Papa and Muñ- and Daenerys?”

“No, sweetheart, Uncle Bran is going to take care of that.”

Rhaella frowned, concerned. “Wait, how long will I be away from Papa and Mu- Daenerys?”

Sansa knew she needed to do her best not to panic her niece. “Only a moon or two. We don’t know how long your parents will need to talk to Uncle Bran. You know that they want to start a war, if they won’t negotiate then you’ll be safer in the North.”

“But they’re going to negotiate, right? There won’t be a war, will there?”

Sansa reached down to tuck and unruly curl behind her ear. “I hope there won’t be, sweetheart. Now that you’re here with me and because you want to help Uncle Bran and I avoid a war I know that your parents won’t want to start a war either. I know they think starting a war would protect you but you and I both know better, don’t we?”

Rhaella bit her lip and nodded, allowing Sansa to take her below deck to find supper, shooting one last regretful glance at Dragonstone.

* * *

Fear had completely overtaken Daenerys. “Jae, I can’t find her.”

Jon shot her a confused expression, though not one of worry. He and Aemon were sitting down for dinner, ready to eat but they had been waiting for Daenerys and Rhaella before beginning. Daenerys had gone to find Rhaella when she hadn’t turned up for dinner, and was growing more panicked with every moment that went by.

Jon got up from the table to reassure her. “I’m sure it’s alright, Dany, she’s probably hiding because of what she saw-”

“What did she see?” Aemon asked, curious. 

Jon and Daenerys exchanged a concerned look, knowing that they needed to tell their children about their relationship but still unsure of how to go about that. Jon cleared his throat after a minute and turned back to Aemon.

“We’re going to talk to you and Rhaella about that tonight, but first we’ll need to find her. Do you want to help us look?”

“Okay, Kepa. I’ll go check the library.”

Daenerys was a little apprehensive to let Aemon out of her sight with Rhaella missing but she knew that they’d cover more ground faster if they split up, and she was hopeful that Rhaella wouldn’t hide from her brother if she was intentionally hiding from her parents. 

Daenerys was headed to the stables and training yard while Jon was going to scour the kitchens, optimistic that Rhaella would turn up soon. Jon knew that Rhaella could brood like her father at times but she’d always eventually return to him. 

* * *

“Prince Aemon, I think I saw Princess Rhaella on the beach. Perhaps we should go look for her there.” 

Aemon was a little nervous to go with the Ironborn guard but he was eager to find his sister and knew that his mother had trusted him with the Ironborn before. He followed the guard down to the beach, not thinking much of the fact that they didn’t see any other guards on the way there. 

When they did reach the beach Aemon didn’t see Rhaella but instead found a small rowboat. He turned to the guard, confused.

“Wha-” a swift blow to the head knocked him unconscious before he was loaded onto the boat, then unloaded onto a ship bound for King’s Landing. 

The Targaryen children had been taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to make any excuses for my long absence, I'll just tell you that I'm regretful of it. I currently have the full ending of this story mapped out and I'm thinking it will take roughly six more chapters but I'm not sure, I may make alterations. With this story part of the delay is that I was unsure of where to take the story and how to finish it but I think now that I have a plan the writing will come easier. I debated waiting and finishing the entire thing before publishing this chapter but I'm impatient and I look forward to feedback far too much. 
> 
> For those of you that follow my other stories, I am writing the full ending of Birthright before putting out the next chapter but I have been making steady progress with that. For The Next Targaryens I will continue to post chapters as I finish them though I don't have a full ending mapped out for that yet so it may take some more time.
> 
> Please let me know where you want it to go from here or if I've screwed something up or forgotten anything from past chapters after having been gone so long. Thank you for being patient and continuing to read this, I apologize again for how long this chapter has taken me.


	20. Fleeing North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaella learns the truth of why the Starks took her and heads north.

Rhaella was becoming frustrated. It had been a moon since they had left Dragonstone and she hadn’t heard any news from the south. Or her aunt hadn’t let her hear any news. She was beginning to feel like a prisoner, even more so than when her mother had used her father as a hostage against her. 

It was rare that Rhaella was allowed to leave Winterfell, and when she did she was always escorted by guards. She missed being able to run free atop her horse on Dragonstone. The North was far larger yet her range was restricted by her aunt. 

Whenever she became frustrated with Aunt Sansa she remembered Aunt Arya and became incredibly guilty. She knew that if Aunt Arya was there she’d be free to ride wherever she pleased and that she’d be able to spend hours in the training yard with her every day. Aunt Sansa hadn’t refused her a master at arms or a sword and some days Podrick even liked to train with her but it was also expected that Rhaella would spend time working on needlepoint and other more civilized activities for a young lady.

Rhaella also had to spend more time in court. Dragonstone didn’t have half as many vassals as the North did and so there were always Lords to treat with and disputes to settle. Rhaella didn’t hate court, she knew that someday she’d be queen and that it was important she learn to rule. However, Aunt Sansa never wanted to listen to what she thought. Rhaella felt like a pet or a prize to be displayed. 

It didn’t help that the Northern Lords harbored hatred for the Targaryens. When Jon and Rhaella usually visited Sansa wouldn’t accept visitors for a few weeks, appointing another house to rule in her stead while her brother and niece visited. It was Rhaella’s first time seeing many of the Lords and none seemed to be willing to give her a chance. It didn’t help that Aunt Sansa wasn’t doing much to defend her niece. 

“How were your lessons today?” Podrick asked over supper.

“Fine.” Rhaella grumbled as she played with her food.

“Sit up straight and speak clearly.” Aunt Sansa scolded. “You’re to be queen, you need to practice proper etiquette. I swear, sometimes I could swear you’re an exact copy of Arya-”

She didn’t catch herself soon enough. Aunt Sansa had been avoiding any mention of Aunt Arya, not after seeing how distraught it made Rhaella. Clearly she was destroyed by the memory of murdering her aunt. Aunt Sansa had never asked for details and they had never discussed it much. 

Rhaella had woken up screaming a few times, haunted by the memory. Aunt Sansa had comforted her until she drifted off again but had never wanted to speak of what had happened. Rhaella was somewhat relieved that she didn’t have to recount what happened, she knew her aunt would likely hate her. It was also hard for her to go on pretending as if everything was fine when she knew it wasn’t. Aunt Arya was gone and she’d never return and it was all Rhaella’s fault.

Rhaella quietly sat up and turned back to her food, not wanting to look at her aunt just then. 

“We talked about Brandon the Builder during my lessons.” Rhaella spoke a little more clearly though her tone was devoid of much emotion.

Aunt Sansa asked the Maester to focus on Stark history, the opposite of Jon’s insistence on Targaryen lessons. Rhaella didn’t mind too much, she wasn’t particularly interested in history either way. It was interesting to learn about the construction of Winterfell and the Wall though.

“Have you learned about any of the secret passages in Winterfell?” Aunt Sansa asked, some excitement in her tone.

Rhaella looked up and shook her head, intrigued. 

“Perhaps if you eat all of your supper I’ll show you one of them tonight.”

Rhaella quickly scarfed down what was left of her elk stew, eager to learn some of Winerfell’s secrets. True to her word, Aunt Sansa showed Rhaella a secret passage to the crypts before bed. Rhaella hadn’t been down to the crypts since her return; she had not wanted to see Aunt Arya’s grave. 

It was exciting to uncover one of Winterfell’s secrets and she went to bed dreaming of more passages. 

* * *

Rhaella spent the next few days looking for secret passages, finding a few. By far the most exciting one was one that led to her Aunt’s solar. She didn’t mean to be dishonest and eavesdrop but no one was telling her what was happening in the south and she needed to know. 

Aunt Sansa and Podrick usually talked in her solar after supper, when Rhaella was supposed to be in bed. It wasn’t hard for her to sneak out and hide in the passageway in order to overhear their conversation. 

“What did the raven say today? I was with Rhaella when it arrived.” Podrick was soft spoken but Rhaella was still able to hear him.

“Bran met with Jae today. He still hasn’t shown him the boy but he gave Jon the clothes Rhaella and he were wearing when we took them and that seems to have served as proof enough for now.”

The boy? Aemon? Uncle Bran had Aemon?

Aunt Sansa continued. “Right now Jae and the Dragon Whore seem to be focusing on King’s Landing, they don’t realize we have Rhaella. Bran has told me that if they continue to plot against us then he’ll show them the boy and threaten them further. Rhaella may be moved if they decide to attack the North, but Bran thinks that unlikely.”

“Is she ever going to see them again?” There was sadness in Podrick’s voice. 

Rhaella held her breath, terrified to hear the answer. 

“No. When they surrender the dragon and it’s killed then Bran may return the boy to them but we’re going to keep Rhaella. We need to ensure they never consider the possibility of war again. They won’t attack as long as we have her.”

Tears sprung in Rhaella’s eyes. What had she done? How could she have abandoned her family like she did? Now Aemon was in danger and Drogon was going to die. More than anything she wished her father was there, he’d be able to fix this. She just wanted to be safe on Dragonstone again with her family, with the possibility of war destroyed.

How had things become so messed up? Why had she been forced to choose between her Stark family and her parents? How could her parents have forced her to choose between peace and war? Had she made the right choice? She felt like there was no right choice. She regretted making the choice that she had. She needed to get back to her family, to her Targaryen family.

* * *

Rhaella went back to eavesdrop for the next week. Some nights she only heard news of the North but other times they discussed her.

“I’ve seen a change in Rhaella recently.” Podrick, worry in his voice.

“She doesn’t seem to be as happy as I remember her.” Aunt Sansa sounded indifferent. “You don’t think she’ll do anything, do you?”

“What do you mean?” Podrick was even more worried now.

“Jae once betrayed us, do you think she’s capable of the same?”

Podrick scoffed. “She chose to come here, she chose you over the Dragon Whore. Sansa, she’s practically your prisoner, you’re watching her night and day, dictating everything she does.”

“You think I should give her more freedom?”

Podrick was silent for a moment. “I just worry about her. It can’t be an easy life, to have to leave your parents-”

“We rescued her! Gods know what the Dragon Whore was doing to her. She poisoned Jae against us, we’re lucky we got Rhaella away from her before her loyalties changed.”

“What if they did?” His voice was quiet and cautious. 

Aunt Sansa scoffed again. “She chose us.”

A moment passed and Aunt Sansa spoke again. “You are right, she is nearly a prisoner. If anything else changes then we’ll just keep a closer watch over her. Hopefully it never gets to a point where we have to keep her under lock and key but we’ll have to do whatever it takes to keep her here and to keep us safe.”

Rhaella knew then that she had to leave before she couldn’t. She couldn’t stay with Aunt Sansa, she couldn’t just be a captive that was being used to hurt her parents. She still didn’t want any harm to come to Aunt Sansa, she still couldn’t bear the thought of a war, she still worried what her parents would do if she returned to them. But Rhaella missed her parents. She missed their love and she missed being seen as something more than a hostage. She had to get back to them.

Rhaella slipped out in the early hours of the morning a few days later, after she had had time to gather supplies. Before she left she had managed to dye her hair black, hoping that would be enough to disguise her. Very few Northerners outside of Winterfell knew what she looked like and she knew that anyone looking for her would be searching for a girl with silver hair, black.

It was a long journey to the Free Folk camp beyond the Wall but she knew that Tormund and his people were her best chance at getting home to Dragonstone where she belonged. On the way there she saw several search parties for her but she slipped past them unnoticed, eventually reaching the Wall and knowing that she would be safe from her Aunt’s reach there. 

The men of the Night’s Watch allowed her to go past the Wall, not recognizing her without her well known silver hair. They were apprehensive to let such a young girl through the Wall but they didn’t have any reason to refuse her passage, the Free Folk were no longer their enemies and Rhaella seemed certain of her path.

It took her two weeks to make her way to Hardhome from Winterfell. She had run into several different Free Folk tribes on her way there, all of whom assured her that Tormund was located there. When she finally made it she let out a sigh of relief. She would be safe with Tormund and he would help get her back to her father.

“Tormund?” Rhaella made her way to what she recognized as his tent. It was late in the evening, the sun had already gone down. 

“Rhaella?” Tormund recognized her voice, coming to see who his visitor was. Upon seeing her black hair he cast her a suspicious look.

“Who the fuck are you?”

Rhaella let out a suddenly laugh of relief. “Tormund, it’s me, Rhaella. I’ve had to dye my hair black.”

Tormund’s eyes widened and he lifted her up in a powerful hug. “Baby Dragon, I was so worried when you didn’t come.”

When he finally set her back down he frowned and wiped away her tears. “Come now, let’s get you some food and you can tell me what the fuck’s happened.”

* * *

“... and then I left Winterfell to come here because I want to go back to my parents. I dyed my hair so no one would recognize me, Aunt Sansa wanted to keep me prisoner. I should never have gone with her, I just didn’t want there to be a war and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Tormund was staring at her with an expressionless glare and she sat with him silently for a few moments before she spoke again, very quietly and fearfully.

“You’ll help me get back to Papa, won’t you? Please, please help me get back to him.”

Tormund took a deep breath and nodded. “Of course, Baby Dragon. I would do anything for you, you know that.”

Rhaella beamed at him but he didn’t smile back, causing her face to twist into an expression of worry as he spoke again. “You remind me of your papa a little.”

Rhaella furrowed her brow. Shouldn’t that be a good thing?

“You’re so torn between your family and what’s right and wrong. He chose his Stark family, too. He killed your mother for them. And they banished him here for it. You don’t know how bad he was before he got you, we thought he was going to… they were dark days. I’ve known King Crow for a long time. I saw what he gave up for those Starks and I never understood it.”

“What did he give up?” 

“Happiness.” Tormund sighed again, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. “Your papa was always so torn between right and wrong before he met your mother, I’d never seen him smile so much as when he would talk to me about her. Even when his sister came to the Wall, he wasn’t truly happy. Then the Dragon Queen came North and everything changed. I never understood how he could have killed someone he loved that much.”

Rhaella bit her lip and looked down at her feet. “I just didn’t want anyone else to die because of me.”

Tormund reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “You’re worth dying for.”

“But Aunt Arya-”

“Betrayed you and your family. I know you loved her, your papa loved her too. He felt like he had a duty to do by her, he felt like he had to protect her, just as you feel you have to protect your other Aunt.”

“I don’t understand why they have to kill each other.” Rhaella was fighting back tears.

“I know, sweetheart. Just like your papa, I know you want to do what’s right. But you also have to realize that your parents are going to protect you above all else. You’re still young, you can’t stop anyone from declaring war.”

“But they won’t attack if the Starks have Aemon and me-”

“You and Aemon aren’t safe with the Starks. They don’t want to protect you, they want to protect themselves. Your parents will always protect you and you’ll always be safe with them. You can’t ever run away from them again, understand?”

Rhaella swallowed and nodded, feeling incredibly foolish and guilty. Tormund tilted her chin up.

“You’re also safe with me, Baby Dragon. At least until the Dragon Queen and King Crow get here.”

Rhaella’s eyes lit up. “They’re coming here?”

Tormund smiled at her excitement and nodded. “Aye, the second you came across some of the Free Folk we sent word to your parents. For now it’s best you stay here, I don’t know if the Starks will search any ship we would try to smuggle you out on.”

“Do you think the Starks will come here to look for me?”

“If they do then they’re going to have to go through me and the rest of the Free Folk.” He was very determined and Rhaella felt safe with him.

“Thank you. How long do you think it will take them to get here?”

“Only time will tell, but I’m sure they’ll hurry here as soon as they can, I’m sure they miss you just as much as you miss them.”

* * *

Scarcely a week had gone by before Rhaella was awoken one night by the heavy thud of a dragon landing near their settlement. She shot out of bed, dressing quickly and then running from Tormund’s tent.

“Where is she?!” She could hear Daenerys frantically searching for her among the Free Folk. “Rhaella, my daughter, I heard word she was here. Where is she?!”

Rhaella ran toward her mother, pushing past the Free Folk that had gathered around Drogon. “Muña?!”

Daenerys continued scanning the crowd for her daughter, her heart feeling like it was pounding out of her chest at hearing Rhaella’s voice.

“Muña!” It took Daenerys a moment to recognize Rhaella with her darker hair but it only took her a second to open her arms to her and envelop her in a tight embrace.

“Muña. You’re here.” Rhaella whispered into her mother’s hair as she clutched her tightly, never wanting to let go.

“I’m here. You’re safe. You’re safe.” Daenerys was saying it for her benefit just as much as she was saying it for Rhaella’s. 

They held each other for a long time, reveling in the embrace. Daenerys didn’t let go of her daughter but eventually looked up to see Tormund standing nearby, looking happily on at their reunion and still being sure to be there to protect Rhaella. Daenerys mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to her daughter’s fierce protector, then closed her eyes and held Rhaella even tighter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The main conflict in this story arises from the Stark v. Targaryen choice Rhaella has to make, so I apologize for the fact that it was rough to watch Rhaella leave her parents for the Starks but ultimately it's a very hard choice for her and she hasn't been able to completely commit herself to one house up to this point. That being said, learning how Sansa really feels about her has changed her perspective and I think now that Daenerys has been reunited with Rhaella there will be a considerable shift in that relationship.
> 
> When I first started writing this story I was updating every single day and I'm hoping that as I near the end I can ramp up faster updates again, hopefully I can keep up this pace for you guys but it isn't finished yet so there could be a delay, though I really hope it doesn't take months again.


	21. Departing Dragonstone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Targaryen parents chase after their children.

The Targaryen children had been taken.

Dragonstone was a large castle and it had taken Jon and Daenerys some time before they accepted the possibility that Rhaella could truly be missing. Daenerys was the first to return to the dining hall and paced nervously next to the meal that had gone cold a long while ago. 

She wanted to call back Jon and Aemon but was hoping that one of them would be successful in their attempts to find her daughter. When Jon eventually returned to the hall his face fell at seeing Rhaella wasn’t with her mother.

“We should send for Aemon.” Jon’s voice was hoarse and devoid of hope. Daenerys was still holding on to the possibility that their son had found Rhaella but she was beginning to accept that he might not have.

She nervously went to find the nearest Ironborn guard to ask them to bring Aemon back but she was met by Yara hurrying to find the monarchs, blood splattered across her armor and her face flush with rage.

“Yara? Yara, what’s happened?”

Yara clenched her jaw and shook her head, beckoning some of her men to follow her into the dining hall with Jon and Daenerys before she shut the door behind them.

“Three of our ships are gone, half of the guards in the castle have been slaughtered. I haven’t found the men responsible but I don’t know who or how many have betrayed us or why.”

Jon’s hand flew to his hip to grip Longclaw’s pommel as he eyed the Ironborn in the room suspiciously. 

“Calm down, your Grace. These men are loyal. They’re going to secure you while I go survey the men on my ships and make sure that the Ironborn there are secure.”

Jon balked. “Alone?”

Yara chuckled. “I can handle myself.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Yara shot him a knowing smile and gestured to Daenerys. “You don’t want to be here to protect her?”

“Where’s Aemon?” Daenerys said, ignoring Yara’s carefree attitude. “Where’s my son?”

Yara’s smile disappeared and she quickly turned to her men. “Who was with him?”

“Lorren.” 

Yara frowned and clenched her jaw. “Jaehaerys, how many men do you want?”

“Yara?”

“This lot is coming with me, there’s been no sign of Lorren and we need to secure Aemon. How many men do you want me to leave?”

“Take them all. I’ll bar the door and protect the Queen.”

Yara nodded and drew her sword, nodding to her men and leading them out to search the castle. Once she had left Jon immediately barred the door, then turned to face Daenerys. They stood in silence for a moment, not knowing how to feel or how the other would feel.

Jon chewed his lip and looked down. Their daughter had been taken from Daenerys once before and he was beginning to understand what that might have felt like. He was consumed with guilt, worry, and fear as he imagined every horrible emotion Daenerys must be feeling and as dozens of different terrible things that could have happened to Rhaella and Aemon raced through his head. 

Daenerys slowly stepped forward to face Jon, eventually gently pressing herself into his chest as he carefully wrapped his arms around her.

She felt empty and numb. She was trying to distance herself from her emotions because she knew if she didn’t then she would break. She had to be strong, she had to believe that their children would be okay.

Jon held her tightly to him and she took some comfort in his presence. She wasn’t alone and she knew that Jon would stop at nothing to find their children. He would protect her and he would protect Aemon and Rhaella as well. He would keep them safe, she knew he would. He would find them.

After a long silence Jon finally spoke, not surrendering the hold he had on Daenerys. He needed her to steady himself. 

“Three ships are missing.”

He could feel her nodding into his chest in response and he spoke again.

“Drogon.” 

She pulled back from him immediately, the realization hitting her hard. Of course, she could go after them. If her children were on those ships then she would find them.

“Where would they have gone?” She was already summoning Drogon to the cliff and preparing to depart.

“I don’t know. You’re certain things have calmed down in the east?”

Daenerys bit her lip. “You really think Ironborn soldiers would be bought off by what remains of the Masters?”

Jon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Who else would have done this? Why?”

Daenerys hardened. “Your sister.”

Fire blazed in Jon’s eyes once he overcame the disbelief he wanted to hold on to. He didn’t want to believe Sansa was capable of such a thing.

Daenerys reached out for Jon’s hand, wanting to steady him. “Would she have gone North or to King’s Landing?”

Jon thought for a moment. “King’s Landing. She’ll be relying on my brother’s forces to protect her.”

Daenerys clenched her jaw and nodded. “Go find Yara. Have her take a few ships and head for King’s Landing. I’m going to fly ahead and I’ll alert you when I see them, then you can follow.”

Jon nodded as well, then gripped Daenerys’ arm for a moment. “Do not engage with them, Dany. They might hurt them or they might hurt you, you can’t-”

She reached up and pressed a reassuring kiss to his lips. “I’ll be safe, I swear it. Follow after me.”

Jon quickly cleared away what he’d used to bar the door, then drew his sword and went with Daenerys to see her safely atop Drogon before he rushed to find Yara. Drogon wasn’t pleased to see Jon but Daenerys calmed him and Jon made certain to keep his distance. 

It was a horrible night for flying. The sky was pitch black, completely covered by clouds. There was no rain but there were heavy winds, favoring some courses of sailing over others. Daenerys did her best to scan the seas, flying low over them as she traced every possible course to King’s Landing, but she couldn’t spot a ship and nearly lost her grip on Drogon a few times.

As the sun rose she was exhausted but managed to continue flying as terror for the lives of her children gripped her. She eventually spotted Yara and Jon combing the seas behind her and flew down to inform them that she hadn’t spotted anything. They reassured her they would continue to search and Daenerys returned to Dragonstone alone, hoping that her children would have turned up there.

Yara had left a party of men she trusted implicitly at the castle, none of whom had found Aemon or Rhaella, despite hours spent searching for them. Daenerys looked through the castle again, refusing to sleep until they were found. She finally collapsed from exhaustion in the children’s room, waking a few hours later with a renewed sense of urgency. 

She was preparing to go back out on Drogon when Maester Owyn announced that there had been a raven from King’s Landing. She read it and crumbled, finally accepting the terrible reality that her children had been taken. She was overcome with grief and struggled to calm herself enough to ask the maester to send for Jon. 

_ Lord and Lady Targaryen, _

_ I have Rhaella and Aemon. You will stand down and stay on Dragonstone. Should you attempt to raise any army against the crown you will have one fewer child. The children will remain in my possession until terms are reached. Stay on Dragonstone until I make furter contact. _

_ -Brandon Stark, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm _

When Jon returned that evening she had calmed some, but upon seeing him fresh tears sprung in her eyes and she collapsed into his arms. 

A quiet fury had overtaken Jon. Daenerys was gripped with past memories of losing Rhaella and had been overcome with pain now that she had confirmation that she had now lost both of her children. Jon, however, was now dead set on bringing fire and blood to House Stark. They had awoken the dragon in him and he would show them no mercy.

“The Starks are going to die, Dany. They’re going to burn.” he vowed as he held her tightly. “We’re going to get Aemon and Rhaella back, I swear it. The Starks will pay for taking them.”

Daenerys took comfort in his strength. When Rhaella had been taken she had been helpless, unable to find her daughter and without any way of looking for her. Now she wasn’t alone, she had Jon to stand by her and lead the charge with the support of Yara and Drogon. Jon was right, the Starks were going to pay for what they had done.

She took a deep breath and steadied herself before pulling back to look in his eyes. “Fire and blood.”

* * *

Daenerys found herself trusting Jon implicitly but a distant part of her struggled to quell the idea of a greater conspiracy between him and his siblings when an envoy came to take Jon to treat with Brandon Stark, with clear instructions that Daenerys was to stay on Dragonstone. 

It had been nearly a moon without word of their children and they had no idea what situation would be awaiting Jon. They had debated attacking King’s Landing several times. They knew that waiting on Dragonstone only gave the Starks more time to prepare but they didn’t have the numbers to storm the city and if Drogon burned it they would have no way of controlling the damage and ensuring that their children weren’t hurt.

“I can’t believe you’re honestly thinking of going.” Daenerys said as she undressed for bed. The envoy was currently housed in the dungeons, awaiting their decision. They had spent the better part of the evening speaking with Yara over the best course of action. Jon had accepted that he had to go but Daenerys was firmly against it.

Jon sighed and crossed the room to help her with the lacings of her gown. “You know that he said only I-”

“What if this is just a ploy to separate us?” She turned to face him, her harsh tone softened by the fear on her face.

He softly wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her temple. “Dany, love, no one will ever separate us again. I’ll be home as soon as I can, and I’ll-”

She shook her head and pulled away. “I don’t want you to leave me.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you propose? He specifically asked for me, he said he wouldn’t-”

“We could send Yara-”

“What happens when he sends our commander’s head back to us?”

“What happens when he sends your head back to me?!” She was shaking and he stepped forward to comfort her but she moved away again. 

“Dany-” 

“Don’t.” She turned back to her vanity, slipping out of her gown and hurriedly slipping into her nightdress, then turning to her bed and giving Jon a pointed look before she got under the covers.

“Do you want me to leave?” His voice was soft and sad. He wasn’t any happier with the idea that he would have to leave her.

She didn’t reply and he moved to leave but before he could get to the door she called out after him. “Stay. Please.”

He turned and gave her a muted smile as he disrobed and joined her in bed. They turned to face one another and he gently stroked her hair.

“He won’t hurt me, Dany, he still sees me as his brother. Rhaella is his heir, he loves her, and-”

“And what of Aemon?” Her tone was strict but her voice was soft.

Jon hardened. “No harm will come to Aemon.”

“Jae, if-”

“No harm will come to Aemon.”

She frowned and tucked a stray curl behind his hair, running her hand along his jawline. He let out a soft sigh and stared into her eyes. “I know that if he was asking for you in my place I wouldn’t be able to accept that.”

“Yet you expect me to?” 

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “We have no other choice. He has our children, Dany. We’re going to do whatever it takes to ensure their safety.”

She let out a frustrated sigh before eventually nodding and pulling him closer. If he was leaving in the morning then she wanted to spend their last night together in his arms. She felt safe in his arms and she would savor that feeling as she looked ahead to the trials they would face.

* * *

It took another fortnight for her to hear word back from Jon. He hadn’t been allowed to take any of their men with him, he’d simply been instructed to take Brandon’s ship back to the capitol with the promise that they would be able to negotiate once there. She sat alone on the island, driving Yara mad with her endless pacing and questioning. 

Finally an envoy arrived bearing a message written in Jon’s hand.

_ Daenerys, _

_ Bran has assured me the children are safe and are being looked after. Negotiations are ongoing, I will send word again if anything changes. _

_ \- Jaehaerys Targaryen _

Daenerys was baffled. Had Jon not seen their children? Why had he been so vague? Was he being forced to write this? 

She spent another moon running through every possible course of action, hearing no further word from Jon or King’s Landing. Just as she and Yara were debating the merits of burning Winterfell to set an example they received word that there was a man travelling with a trading vessel that was demanding to see Jon. He said he had a message for him and him alone.

The second the man set eyes on Daenerys he bowed slightly, but did not kneel. The Free Folk did not kneel. 

“Dragon Queen.” His voice held a certain tone of reverence. Josmus had seen her once before, when she came north to fight in the Long Night, and he knew she and Jon were the only ones he could trust with Rhaella’s location.

“I was told you have a message for me?”

“Aye. For you and you alone.”

Yara eyed him apprehensively and gripped her axe. “I’m not leaving you alone with this man.”

Josmus stood quietly and proudly, not wanting Rhaella’s whereabouts to fall into the wrong hands.

Daenerys spoke after a moment, giving the man an imploring look. “Anything you tell me can be said in front of Yara. She’s one of my trusted advisors.”

Josmus chewed his lip and eyed the Ironborn guards. “Where’s King Crow?”

“Jaehaerys?” Yara asked, suspicious. 

“Aye.”

“He’s in King’s Landing.” Daenerys said, masking all of her emotion.

Josmus looked down. “Surrounded by the wolves.”

Daenerys allowed some fear to swell in her stomach. Who was this man?

“Who sent you?” she asked.

He swallowed nervously before nervously looking up at her. “Your daughter did.”

“My- my daughter? Rhaella?”

Josmus could tell from the genuine worry in Daenerys’ face that he had done the right thing by coming to Dragonstone. Rhaella would be safe with her mother. 

“Where is she?” Daenerys clenched her fists together, bound and determined to finally take action and return to her daughter.

“She’s north of the Wall, at Hardhome.”

“Where is that?” She turned to Yara as well, needing clearer directions.

Josmus spoke again. “Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the castle on the Wall that was demolished, it’s up the coast from that. Once you get north of the Wall then any of the Free Folk will help you, we remember what you and King Crow did for us.”

“And Rhaella, she’s there? She’s safe?”

“Aye, we’ve kept her safe. She’ll be with Tormund Giantsbane by now.”

“Thank you.” Daenerys said, emotion gripping her.

Within a few short hours she was atop Drogon, racing to recover Rhaella. 

* * *

“Muña.” Rhaella was clinging to her tightly and Daenerys didn’t want to let her go. After a little while most of the Free Folk drifted back to their beds but Tormund stayed to watch over them. Eventually Daenerys pulled back from the embrace, reaching for her daughter’s hand to steady herself. 

“Let’s get inside, it’s cold out and I’ve been flying for days.”

Rhaella nodded immediately, pulling Daenerys to Tormund’s tent. He followed after them, not wanting to interfere in their reunion too much. 

Daenerys was exhausted and now that she knew Rhaella was safe she was ready to let sleep overtake her but Tormund insisted she fill her belly first. She didn’t have the energy to press Rhaella for all the details of their time apart, simply checked to make sure her daughter hadn’t been harmed, then quickly ate the stew Tormund offered her before crawling into bed and making sure Rhaella was tucked into her side before she fell asleep. 

The next morning when she woke up she immediately clutched Rhaella to her even more tightly, afraid that her daughter wasn’t real. 

“Muña?” Rhaella asked groggily, waking up the second she realized that her dreams had come true and her mother was there with her. 

“Rhaella.” Daenerys breathed a sigh of relief as her daughter hugged her, burying her head in her mother’s neck. “You’re safe.”

“Morning.” Tormund grunted out as he was roused from bed. Daenerys shot him a grateful look and he smiled at her.

“I’ll leave you two to it then.” He lumbered out of the tent, off to find them something decent for breakfast. 

“Rhaella.” Daenerys said softly again and sat up. “What happened, sweetling? How did they take you? Do you know where Aemon is?”

There were about a million other questions racing through her mind but she was going to do her best to pace herself. 

Rhaella sat up as well but looked down, avoiding eye contact with her mother.

“Rhaella?” Daenerys asked again, her voice seeped in worry. What had happened to her daughter?

“You-you were going to kill them.”

Daenerys looked at her daughter with an expression of pure confusion and Rhaella cautiously clarified.

“You were going to kill Aunt Sansa and Uncle Bran.”

Daenerys took a deep breath. “They’re dangerous, Rhaella. They’ve betrayed your father and I in the past and they took you-”

“They didn’t.” Rhaella whispered as she looked away, terrified to see her mother’s reaction.

“They didn’t?” Daenerys was further confused. 

“I went with Aunt Sansa, she didn’t make me. I didn’t want you and Papa to-”

“You went with her?!” There was fire in Daenerys’ tone. Rhaella had never heard her mother raise her voice at her before, she had always been calm and commanding when she was angry.

“Rhaella, you mean to tell me that you left with her? You weren’t taken?”

Daenerys had stood up and was now facing Rhaella, who was averting her eyes.

“Muña, I-”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! Look at me, Rhaella.”

“Muña-”

“Look at me.”

Rhaella found fire in her mother’s eyes as tears threatened to fill her own. “Muña- Muña- I- I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt and-”

“Did Aemon go with you?”

“No. But I heard Aunt Sansa say that Uncle Bran has him.”

Daenerys turned away, completely taken aback by Rhaella’s revelation. 

“You went with the Starks of your own free will.”

Rhaella didn’t respond, overcome with guilt and fear. Daenerys spoke again after a moment.

“You betrayed us.”

“Muña, I’m sorry, I-”

Daenerys took a deep breath and turned back to see tears streaming down her daughter’s face. She tentatively stepped forward, gently sitting next to her daughter and then wrapping an arm around her. Rhaella felt some of her fear leaving her as her mother rubbed her shoulder.

“I'm here now. You're safe. I'm going to keep you safe. I love you, sweetling.”

At hearing the soft reassurance Rhaella looked up and saw some comfort in her mother’s face, though she knew that she was still furious underneath. She wiped away Rhaella’s tears but her next statement was spoken in a slightly more commanding tone.

“When we get back home you’re not going to be allowed to go out riding for two moons.”

Rhaella’s eyes widened. “Muña-”

“And no hunting for three moons.”

“But Muña-”

“And I’m sure your father will have plenty to say about this as well, I imagine that you won’t be allowed to train for a few moons. He and I are going to have to discuss this further.”

Rhaella pouted for a moment before she reached out to hug her mother again. She knew she couldn’t be too upset at her punishment, her mother still loved her and that was what mattered. Unlike the Starks, Daenerys cared for her daughter and valued her safety and happiness above all else.

“I’m sorry, Muña.”

Daenerys sighed and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

“You will never do anything like that again, Rhaella. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Do you have any idea what that did to your father and I?”

Rhaella was silent as Daenerys stroked her hair, calming down a bit but still not finished reprimanding her daughter.

“You just left without telling us. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was? I didn’t even know you were here in the North, I thought you were in King’s Landing.”

“I thought you and Papa were going to kill-”

“You could have come to us and talked to us about it.”

Rhaella felt a pang of guilt and her tears were renewed. 

“Sweetling, I know it’s hard for you to understand but Papa and I are trying to protect you and Aemon. The Starks-”

“The Starks hate us. They want to hurt us.” 

Daenerys was shocked and fell silent. Rhaella spoke again after a moment.

“I thought they loved me but they only wanted to use me to keep themselves safe. I was their prisoner. I’m sorry, Muña, I never should have trusted them. I just didn’t want anyone to die like Aunt Arya did.”

Daenerys kissed Rhaella’s head again. “I know it’s hard to understand, sweetling, but Papa and I have to protect you from them. I know you don’t want anyone to get hurt but-”

“They’re trying to hurt us.” Rhaella whispered, looking up at Daenerys and wiping away her tears as she grew firm in what she had learned to be true. “The Starks are going to try to hurt us so we have to make sure they can’t.”

Daenerys nodded, tucking Rhaella’s hair behind her ear. “I wish we could get along. I wish no one else would ever have to get hurt. But Papa and I have to protect you and we have to make sure they can’t ever hurt you again, do you understand?”

Rhaella nodded and bit her lip. “Are we going to burn Winterfell down?”

Daenerys froze as memories of King’s Landing flashed through her mind. She didn’t want to burn any more children. She didn’t want to hurt her daughter by killing-

“We should burn Winterfell down.” It was hard for Rhaella to get the words out but she didn’t regret them once she’d said them. Daenerys stayed frozen, shocked by what her daughter had just said. Rhaella continued.

“Uncle Bran still has Aemon so we can’t attack King’s Landing but we can- Aunt Sansa should- we have to-” It was hard for her to say she wanted to kill her remaining aunt. Daenerys finished her sentence for her.

“We can make sure Sansa Stark never hurts us again.”

Rhaella bit her lip and nodded. “And we can show Uncle Bran that he needs to give us Aemon back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapters in three days? Whaaaat? Again, I really hope I can keep up this pace but please don't hold me to it. I'm still foreseeing wrapping this up in a few more chapters, though maybe more than I last predicted. I'm starting to question one aspect of how the ending will play out and so I really value feedback so I can better get a sense of where to take this and how to do it in a realistic way. 
> 
> Do you guys think it's realistic that Rhaella is turning on the Starks? I know she did a bit of a complete reversal of her stance but what she experienced with Sansa has really proven to her that the Starks can't be trusted. She's definitely very upset that her twin has been taken, though I know she hasn't said much about that yet. Did Daenerys have a satisfying reaction to everything? I felt like it was maybe a little anticlimactic to have Daenerys basically ground Rhaella in response to her betrayal but I didn't want her to be too harsh though I felt like there needed to be some parenting and reprimanding and not just blind forgiveness- it was kind of hard for me to strike a balance, how did I do?


End file.
